Menopause describes the period in a woman’s life that signals the end of her reproductive years. During menopause, menses decreases, the ovaries stop producing eggs, and the body decreases its production of estrogen and progesterone. Menopause is a natural occurrence in a woman’s life, which happens between the ages of 40 and 55.
Changes in estrogen levels cause the symptoms of menopause. Estrogen is a powerful hormone in the body, and as the body adjusts to lowered estrogen levels, it reacts.
During menopause, ovulation ceases, eliminating reproductive ability, and menstruation becomes less frequent and eventually stops. In some women, menstrual activity stops suddenly. For most women, activity slows as the amount and duration of menstrual flow tapers over time. Frequently, periods become more closely or more widely spaced. This irregularity may last for two or three years before menstruation ends.
After menopause, women are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that results in loss of calcium from bones. Lowered levels of estrogen increase the risk of osteoporosis.
