What is Menopause? Menopause Explained

What is menopause? Read this article to discover more about the 3 main stages of menopause. Here’s everything you need to know about it, from how it happens, to what you can expect when going through this period in life.

What is menopause?

The ‘kinder’ term for natural women’s hormonal change. Occurs when a woman reaches menopause. The term describe a woman’s remaining years without the effects of a monthly cycle.  Notably, however, there is more to this transition, such as changes in mood and sleep cycles, as well as possible hot flushes and memory problems.  What happens at menopause?  One of the major hormonal changes occurring at menopause is the production of the hormone, estrogen.  As a woman ages; the levels of estrogens tend to drop and as a result; many women experience hot flushes, night sweats and sleep disturbances.

The 7 stages

What happens at menopause?  “Your ovaries stop releasing the hormones that keep your period a monthly occurrence,” says a team of experts at Eve  Last year. this process can happen at any age, but for some women it begins as early as their 40s. If this is the case, you’ll be in the menopause stage (also called perimenopause) if:  You’ve started having hot flushes. Some women feel unusually hot in the middle of the night, and that this feeling goes on for months and sometimes years.  Your periods are no longer regular. It’s possible to go into menopause without a period if your menstrual cycle becomes irregular.  You’re aged between 45 and 55 years old.

1. Pre-menopause

It’s the period of time between the age of 45 and 55 when your body stops producing enough estrogen. This means that the ovaries are not producing eggs. It’s normal to become low on estrogen and experience the following symptoms.  The symptoms are caused by the withdrawal of ovaries. Other issues can be vaginal dryness and pain, which can cause health issues.

• Vaginal dryness. Women will experience vaginal dryness during this period. This can have a serious impact on sexual intercourse. Recommendation is to use a lubricant to achieve the right amount of lubrication.

• Aroused. Women libido can be affected; with women in the pre-menopausal stage less likely to want sex.

2. Peri-menopause

This stage appears between the ages of 41 and 53. Then the levels of oestrogen in the body start to start falling off.  You will still be able to conceive during this time as a doctor will do a hormone test before giving you a license to continue having unprotected sex. During this time you should continue exercising.

3. Post-menopause

After menopause, you enter the post-menopausal stage. In this stage the level of oestrogen drops by more than half. Estrogen and oestrogen levels in the body are drastically reduced. After this stage; you will find it difficult to conceive. As a doctor will have to prescribe hormone replacement therapy to help reduce your chances of pregnancy.

4. How is ending?

End of all stages and menstruation is signaled by hot flushes, night sweats and headaches. It is important to know all the stages and how to react. In this way you can take right choices about your health and wellbeing.

Menopause is the time when the ovaries stop producing enough oestrogen to maintain a healthy body temperature and menstrual cycle. This is why many women experience hot flushes and night sweats, and why some may experience a reduced libido. If ovulation still occurs, the body will experience the natural menopause-period bleed, known as a menopause-bloom.