Menopause Facts

Serenity · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject: Menopause Facts

The menopause occurs in all women. It can occur when the ovaries spontaneously fail to produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone.Ovaries naturally fail to produce estrogen and progesterone when they have few remaining egg cells. At that stage, the ovaries become less able to respond to the pituitary hormones: follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) and less estrogen is produced. Levels of FSH and LH subsequently rise and a measurement of FSH is sometimes used to diagnose menopause. The resulting low, and changing levels of ovarian hormones, particularly estrogen, are thought to be the cause of menopausal symptoms in many women.

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Serenity · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject:

The term climacteric refers to the time in which the hormone levels are changing, up to the periods stopping; reducing and fluctuating hormone levels can cause early menopausal symptoms while still stimulating the endometrium (lining of the womb) to produce cyclical bleeding (menstruation).

Menopause means the last menstrual period. Periods stop because the low levels of estrogen and progesterone do not stimulate the lining of the womb (endometrium) in the normal cycle. Hormone levels can fluctuate for several years before eventually becoming so low that the endometrium stays thin and does not bleed.

Perimenopause is the stage from the beginning of menopausal symptoms to the postmenopause.

Postmenopause is the time following the last period, and is usually defined as more than 12 months with no periods in someone with intact ovaries, or immediately following surgery if the ovaries have been removed.

Menopause - when?

The average age of the natural menopause is 51 years, but can occur much earlier or later. Menopause occurring before the age of 45 is called early menopause and before the age of 40 is premature menopause.
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redhead · Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject:

not looking forward to being 50 + but in other ways can't wait freedom