Menopause

You can rely on our compassionate health care providers to support you through the changes and challenges that come with menopause.

What is menopause?

Menopause refers to the point at which you have not had a menstrual period for 12 months. At this time, your ovaries have stopped producing reproductive hormones.

The period of decreasing hormone production leading up to your period stopping is called perimenopause. But people commonly use the term menopause to mean perimenopause too. The decrease in hormones, especially estrogen, during this time causes changes and symptoms throughout your body.

Menopause is a normal bodily process that occurs in everyone assigned female at birth. It happens gradually and usually affects people between ages 45 and 55. About 5% of people experience menopause early, between ages 40 and 45.

Cause of menopause

Menopause results from changes in how your ovaries create hormones. Your ovaries are part of your reproductive system, which is active from when you start puberty until around age 45 to 55. You enter menopause when your reproductive system slows down and you can no longer become pregnant.

Menopause symptoms

Menopause affects everyone differently. The first signs of menopause are usually changes to your menstrual cycle, such as:

• Lighter, heavier or unpredictable bleeding
• Longer, shorter or irregular cycles
• Complete loss of periods

As you go through menopause, you may also experience:

• Appearance changes and lack of self-esteem
• Crawling or itching sensations under your skin
• Decreased sex drive (libido) and pain with sex
• Headaches and other aches or pains
• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Mood and emotional changes, such as irritability
• Needing to pee (urinate) more often
• Tiredness or forgetfulness
• Trouble sleeping

Menopause diagnosis

Your health care provider will discuss your health history and symptoms with you. Usually, your age and symptoms provide enough information to diagnose menopause. Your provider may also order blood work to test your hormone levels.

Complications of menopause

Hormonal changes from menopause can lead to other changes throughout your body. During and after menopause, you have a higher risk of developing:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Joint problems
• Urine leakage when you put pressure on your bladder (stress incontinence)
• Weakened bones that are more prone to breaking (osteoporosis)
• Weight gain

Talk to your provider about ways to reduce your risk of menopause complications. They can suggest personalized lifestyle changes or therapies to help protect your long-term health.

Menopause treatment

Your provider may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause. HRT provides you with certain hormones that your ovaries stop making during menopause.

The therapy can help reduce menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and trouble sleeping. It can also help prevent osteoporosis and bone fractures.