Essential facts about Menopause

Menopause marks the end of your reproductive years. It occurs when the ovaries stop producing progesterone and estrogen hormones needed for a woman’s fertility. This stage is normal as you age, and it makes most women feel relieved since they don’t have to worry about getting pregnant, cramps, and painful periods because it marks the end of menstruation periods. If you are experiencing strange and uncomfortable symptoms or you need to confirm your status, contact Raveco Medical in Forest Hills, NY a private medical practice.

 Why does menopause happen?

Natural menopause happens in a women’s early 50s and is not caused by any medical conditions or surgery because it is a normal part of aging. Menopause means a whole year without menstrual bleeding, in the absence of surgery or use of hormonal birth control that stops bleeding artificially.

As you grow old, your reproductive cycle starts to slow down and prepares to stop. As menopause nears, your ovaries make less of the estrogen hormone. When this decrease happens, your periods start to change. It can stop or become irregular. Physical changes can occur as the body adapts to a different amount of hormones. The symptoms experienced during every stage of menopause are part of the body’s adjustments to the changes.

How does natural menopause occur?

Natural menopause ends menstruation permanently. For women going through natural menopause, the process has three stages including:

• Menopause transition or perimenopause

Perimenopause begins eight to 10 years before menopause when your ovaries start producing less estrogen. It normally begins at the age of 40, but it can start in the ’30s. Perimenopause lasts until menopause, where the ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last two years of perimenopause, the drop in estrogen levels accelerates. At this period, most women get menopause symptoms. You can still have your periods and also get pregnant at this stage.

2.   Menopause

Menopause is a stage where a woman has no menstrual periods. At this time, the ovaries have stopped producing more of their estrogens or releasing eggs. Menopause is diagnosed when a woman has not seen her periods for 12 consecutive months.

3. Postmenopause

This is the name given after a woman has not had her period for a whole year. At this stage, menopause symptoms like hot flashes can stop for many women. But, some women continue having menopausal symptoms for a decade after the menopause transition. Due to low estrogen levels, postmenopausal women are at high risk for a group of health conditions, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Medications like hormone therapy can reduce the risk of getting these conditions. Since each woman’s risks vary, talk to your doctor to know which steps you should take to reduce your risks.

Menopause is a natural part of life, and you cannot stop it. It marks the end of menstrual periods, fertility, and change in your health and hormonal status. If you have strange symptoms during menopause, talk to your doctor to confirm your status. You can call Raveco Medical to book an appointment to get the help you need.

Paul Petersen