Ailments and Situations - Menopause (and Related Issues) - Kinds of Menopause - Natural Menopause

As previously mentioned, natural menopause occurs between the ages of forty-five to fifty-five, with the average being fifty-two. Natural menopause typically occurs around the same age as it did for a women's mother, though this is not always the case.

During the climacteric, which lasts six to thirteen years, women will experience skipped periods and hormonal changes, which are most dramatic between the ages of forty-nine and fifty-five. Hormone levels fluctuate as estrogen levels decrease while production of androgens and other hormones increases. Periods may stop for one month or more and then return, while flow and duration will also increase or decrease. It is possible for periods to stop for up to one year, then return. In addition, periods simply stop in some women. The overall irregular ovulation patterns are due to either lowered estrogen levels or resistance of the remaining follicles (cellular housing of the egg) to ovulatory stimulus.

As trends are not absolute and each person is different, women should continue to use contraception up to one year after their last period. One, three, or several skipped periods does not necessarily mean pregnancy will not occur...

A blood test is typically performed at this time that measures levels of the pituitary gonadotropins FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone). These hormones are produced by the pituitary gland and stimulate egg production in the ovaries.

When ovulation occurs at mid-cycle each month, FSH and LH levels peak, causing a number of physiological and emotional changes. While estrogen levels and resulting ovulation decreases during the climacteric, FSH and LH levels increase as the pituitary gland is not "told" by the developing egg in the ovaries to slow hormonal secretion. As a result, at a certain point, FSH and LH reach "menopausal levels" in the blood. This test is not always accurate, however, and there have been situations where women with skipped periods and menopausal FSH/LH levels returned to normal menstruation some time later.

With a constant flow of FSH and LH, many believe that the "intuitive wisdom" available to women during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle now becomes theoretically available all the time.

While some women experience no menopausal symptoms, common symptoms include hot flashes, lack of concentration, low libido, hair loss, and vaginal dryness and are outlined in more detail under Related Problems, below. Mood swings, irritability, and other symptoms are more common in women who have had difficulty during other hormonal changes such as puberty, premenstrual syndrome, or postpartum depression.

Many women who continue through natural menopause relatively symptom-free often do not require hormone replacement, though it does prove helpful for others during perimenopause / menopause. Some form of hormonal support also proves beneficial in cases of premature or artificial menopause.