Menopause

“Menopause is your final menstrual period.
If you haven’t had a period for 12 months,
you’ve reached menopause”.1

Umbrella

What may the Menopause Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Change of Life
  • Early Menopause
  • Going Through the Menopause
  • Induced Menopause
  • Menopausal/Menopause Transition
  • Menopause
  • Natural Menopause
  • Perimenopause
  • Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause
  • Postmenopause
  • Premature Menopause
  • Second Half of Your Life
  • Surgical Menopause
  • The Change
  • The Change of Life
  • The Time of Life
  • The Menopause Years
  • The Menopause-Related Years
  • The Three Stages of Menopause
  • Turning St Catherine’s Corner

Definition

What is menopause?

DotS the definition of menopause may vary. In Menopause: How Menopause Occurs the World Health Organization’s definition is:

“Natural menopause is deemed to have occurred after 12 consecutive months without menstruation for which there is no other obvious physiological or pathological cause and in the absence of clinical intervention”.2

In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Definitions, published online 01 December 2023, the authors’ definition is:

“Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation in a non-hysterectomized woman. As many women may not be naturally menstruating when their menopause transition begins, for example due to hormonal contraception, having had an endometrial ablation or hysterectomy or pre-existing oligo-amenorrhea, a pragmatic definition of menopause is the permanent cessation of ovarian function”.3

On page four in Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Definitions – Menopause the definition used by the International Menopause Society is:

“Menopause – the last day of a woman’s last period ever”.4

In What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause: Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:

“Menopause is your final menstrual period. If you haven’t had a period for 12 months, you’ve reached menopause”.5

Typical Age

What is the typical age at menopause?

In Optimising Health After Early Menopause: Summary, published 08 March 2024, the authors note:

“The typical age at menopause is 50–51 years in high-income countries. However, early menopause is common, with around 8% of women in high-income countries and 12% of women globally experiencing menopause between the ages of 40 years and 44 years. Menopause before age 40 years (premature ovarian insufficiency) affects an additional 2–4% of women”.6

Different Differences

Do all women experience the same menopause?

No. Menopause is not one-size-fits-all. Although all women have a FMP, different women experience different symptoms, at different times, in different ways, for different lengths of time, before and after their FMP.

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause – Symptoms the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guideline, the NICE elaborate on:



“Menopause affects every woman differently. You may have no symptoms at all, or they might be brief and short lived. For some women they are severe and distressing.

You can still get menopause symptoms if you have had a hysterectomy (an operation to remove your womb).

Other natural changes as you age can be intensified by menopause. For example, you may lose some muscle strength and have a higher risk of conditions such as osteoporosis and heart disease”.7

Healthy Lifestyle

Can a healthy lifestyle improve menopause symptoms?

In the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:

  • “Women should be advised that implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve menopause symptoms. A healthy diet (one low in saturated fat and salt and rich in calcium and vitamin D), stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including regular exercise can be beneficial. Reducing caffeine intake may also improve symptoms”.8

Hormone Therapy

How effective is hormone therapy (HT) for the treatment of menopause symptoms?

On page one in Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits, published July 2022, the NAMS explain:

“Hormone therapy is one of the most effective treatments available for bothersome hot flashes and night sweats. If hot flashes and night sweats are disrupting your daily activities and sleep, HT may improve sleep and fatigue, mood, ability to concentrate, and overall quality of life. Treatment of bothersome hot flashes and night sweats is the principal reason women use HT. Hormone therapy also treats vaginal dryness and painful sex associated with menopause. Hormone therapy keeps your bones strong by preserving bone density and decreasing your risk of osteoporosis and fractures. If preserving bone density is your only concern, and you do not have bothersome hot flashes, other treatments may be recommended instead of HT”.9

Health Care Provider

What if I would like help with my menopause?

If you would like help with your menopause, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor the JH explain:

“Talk to your doctor if you are worried about:

  • Irregular periods
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Bleeding after menopause
  • Increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
  • Menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, that interfere with your daily life”.10

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the (United States) Mayo Clinic encourage us to seek help:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your healthcare professional about your choices and the risks and benefits of each. Review your choices yearly. Your needs and the treatment choices may change”.11

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Menopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Menopause?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

New or Updated

  1. A Guide To Birth Control In Your 40s and 50s
  2. ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
  3. An Empowerment Model for Managing Menopause
  4. Ask Early Menopause [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  5. Autism and Menopause: Q&A With Rachel Moseley and Julie Turner-Cobb
  6. BMS TV: Menopause Explained
  7. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  8. British Menopause Society Statement Published In Response To the BBC One Panorama Programme 30 September 2024 [01 October 2024]
  9. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  10. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Premature and Early Menopause
  11. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Menopause Experience
  12. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Healthcare Visit
  13. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  14. Diagnostic Tests for Menopause
  15. Does Having Hot Flashes Mean I’ve Started Menopause?
  16. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: How To Handle the Daily Practice Challenges When Prescribing Oral MHT (EN)
  17. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: How To Handle the Daily Practice Challenges When Prescribing Oral MHT (EN)
  18. FAQs: The Menopause Years
  19. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  20. Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society]
  21. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  22. First Symptoms of Menopause
  23. Glossary of Terms
  24. Helping Women Prepare for Menopause
  25. Hormone Therapy: Four Things A Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Specialist Wants You To Know [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network. Name Super/CG: Taryn Smith, M.D./Internal Medicine/Mayo Clinic]
  26. Hot Flashes, Anxiety and Menopause: What’s the Connection?
  27. How To Know If You Are In Menopause
  28. How To Manage Menopausal Insomnia
  29. Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated
  30. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
  31. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Menopause [Other Languages and Formats] [+ Video: Menopause]
  32. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [Other Languages and Formats] [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
  33. Living Well With MS and Menopause
  34. Management of Perimenopausal and Menopausal Symptoms
  35. Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  36. Mayo Clinic Minute: Perimenopause and Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  37. Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns
  38. Menopause
  39. Menopause
  40. Menopause
  41. Menopause
  42. Menopause
  43. Menopause
  44. Menopause
  45. Menopause
  46. Menopause
  47. Menopause Checklist Podcast
  48. Menopause Glossary
  49. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
    Menopause
  50. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  51. Menopause Mindfulness: Embracing the Change of My Midlife
  52. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 1. What Is Menopause?
  53. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  54. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  55. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause
  56. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: What Is Menopause?
  57. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  58. Menopause What Are the Symptoms?
  59. Menopause and ADHD: What Women Should Know About Diagnosis, Hormones, Symptoms, and Management
  60. Menopause and HRT: Fact and Fiction
  61. Menopause and MS [Multiply Sclerosis]
  62. Menopause and Mental Health
  63. Menopause – Multiply Languages
  64. Menopause: Definitions and Terms
  65. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  66. Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
  67. Menopause: How Your Body Changes and What You Can Do [+ Video]
  68. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
  69. Menstrual Calendar
  70. Mood and the Menopause
  71. My Periods Have Changed. Is Menopause Around the Corner?
  72. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  73. Navigating Menopause Together: How Partners Can Help
  74. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  75. Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
  76. New Guide To Support Autistic Women Going Through the Menopause
  77. Normalising Menopause
  78. Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
  79. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
    Menopause
  80. Promoting Good Mental Health Over the Menopause Transition
  81. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  82. The Impact of the Menopause
  83. The Lancet: Series From the Lancet Journal – Menopause 2024
  84. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
  85. Time for A Balanced Conversation About Menopause
  86. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  87. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife Women
  88. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Vulvar Diseases, Overview for Aging Women
  89. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  90. Webinars: Previous – Menopausal Migraines
  91. Webinars: Previous – Skin and Connective Tissue Ageing at the Time of the Menopause
  92. Whales Make Waves In the Quest To Discover Why Menopause Evolved
  93. What Causes Menopause?
  94. What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
  95. What Is Menopause?
  96. What Is Menopause?
  97. What Is Menopause? [+ Video]
  98. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
  99. Why Is FSH Not Needed for Diagnosis of Menopause
  100. World Menopause Day [18 October 2024]
    Menopause

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause: Menopause. Last Updated: 19 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 02 October 2024
  2. Menopause: How Menopause Occurs. 17 October 2022. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause Accessed: 02 October 2024
  3. Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Definitions. Published Online: 01 December 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 02 October 2024
  4. Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Definitions – Menopause. Page 4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMS-English-Factsheet-4-glossary.pdf Accessed: 02 October 2024
  5. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause: Menopause. Last Updated: 19 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 02 October 2024
  6. Mishra, G. D., Davies, M. C., Hillman, S., Chung, H-F., Roy, S. and Hickey, M. Optimising Health After Early Menopause: Summary. Published: 05 March 2024. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02800-3/fulltext Accessed: 02 October 2024
  7. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause – Symptoms. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Menopause Accessed: 02 October 2024
  8. Hamoda, H, Mukherjee, A, Morris, E, Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P, Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 02 October 2024
  9. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use: Potential Benefits. 2022:1. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/menonote-deciding-about-ht-2022.pdf Accessed: 02 October 2024
  10. What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor. Last Updated: 19 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 02 October 2024
  11. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 07 August 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 02 October 2024
Topic Last Updated: 02 October 2024 – Topic Last Reviewed: 02 October 2024

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
/by