Menopause

“Menopause is when you have your final period.
Most women reach menopause
between the ages of 45 and 55 years”.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: Overview 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 the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:

“Menopause is when you have your final period. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 years”.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. Different women experience different symptoms, at different times, in different ways, of different intensity, for different lengths of time.



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”.7

Hormone Therapy

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

On page one in The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy, published October 2024, the Menopause Society note:

“Hormone therapy remains first-line therapy for management of bothersome vasomotor symptoms, and the benefits typically outweigh the risks for most healthy women when initiated younger than age 60 years or within 10 years of menopause onset with appropriate counseling.

Hormone therapy is indicated for the treatment of bothersome vasomotor symptoms,
genitourinary syndrome of menopause, primary ovarian insufficiency, and prevention of bone loss and reduction of fracture risk”.8

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”.9

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”.10

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. ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists]
  2. An Empowerment Model for Managing Menopause
  3. Ask Early Menopause [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
  4. Autism and Menopause: Q&A With Rachel Moseley and Julie Turner-Cobb
  5. BMS TV: Menopause Explained
  6. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
  7. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Menopause
  8. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Healthcare Visit
  9. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2025 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Nutrition At Menopause and Why It Is Important
  10. Diagnostic Tests for Menopause
  11. Does Having Hot Flashes Mean I’ve Started Menopause?
  12. Empowering the Health of Women In Midlife
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  13. Experts Answer Your Menopause Questions In New Video
  14. FAQs: The Menopause Years
  15. Find A Menopause Practitioner [The Menopause Society: United States and Other]
  16. Find An AMS Member [Australasian Menopause Society: Australia and New Zealand]
  17. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  18. First Symptoms of Menopause
  19. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
  20. Glossary of Terms
  21. HRT Questions Answered
  22. Here’s What You Need To Know About Menopause [Video]
  23. Hot Flashes, Anxiety and Menopause: What’s the Connection?
  24. How To Know If You Are In Menopause
  25. How To Talk To Your Doctor About Menopause
    Menopause
  26. Is There A Connection Between Bipolar Disorder and Menopause?
  27. 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
  28. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Menopause [Other Languages and Formats] [+ Video: Menopause]
  29. 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]
  30. Living Well With MS and Menopause
  31. Management of Perimenopausal and Menopausal Symptoms
  32. Managing Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  33. Managing Menopause: Navigation A Challenging Transition
  34. Menopause
    Menopause
  35. Menopause
  36. Menopause
  37. Menopause
  38. Menopause
  39. Menopause
  40. Menopause
  41. Menopause
    Menopause
  42. Menopause
    Menopause
  43. Menopause Basics
  44. Menopause Checklist Podcast
  45. Menopause Definitions
  46. Menopause Has Gone Mainstream: What Does This Mean for Women Today?
  47. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
  48. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
  49. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
  50. Menopause Symptoms and Relief
  51. Menopause and ADHD: What Women Should Know About Diagnosis, Hormones, Symptoms, and Management
  52. Menopause and MS [Multiply Sclerosis]
  53. Menopause and Mental Health
  54. Menopause and Sleep
  55. Menopause – A Poorly Understood Stage of Life
  56. Menopause – Multiply Languages
  57. Menopause: Definitions and Terms
  58. Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
  59. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024]
    Menopause
  60. Menopause: Identification and Management: NICE Guideline [NG23] Published: 12 November 2015 Last Updated: 07 November 2024
  61. Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
  62. Menopause: Your Choice of Language
  63. Menstrual Calendar
  64. Midlife Health
  65. Midlife Weight Gain
    Menopause
  66. Monitoring Menopause Symptoms
  67. Mood and the Menopause
  68. My Periods Have Changed. Is Menopause Around the Corner?
  69. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States
  70. National Women’s Health Week 2025 [11-17 May]: Navigating the Road to Menopause
    Menopause
  71. National Women’s Health Week (NWHW): From the FDA Office of Women’s Health
  72. Navigating Menopause Together: How Partners Can Help
  73. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  74. Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
  75. New Guide To Support Autistic Women Going Through the Menopause
  76. Perimenopause and Menopause Checklist: Translated Checklists
  77. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
    Menopause
  78. Promoting Good Mental Health Over the Menopause Transition
  79. Shedding Light on the Menopause Experience and Demystifying Treatment
  80. Surprising Menopause Symptoms Q&A | Dr Louise Newson
  81. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
  82. The Lancet: Series From the Lancet Journal – Menopause 2024
  83. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [September 2024]
    Menopause
  84. Video & Podcast Library: Videos – World Menopause Day 2024: Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  85. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
  86. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  87. Webinars: Previous – IMS & ISE Symposium: What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025
  88. Webinars: Previous – The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women
  89. Webinars: Previous – The Perimenopause Journey: An Adaptive Reproductive Phase
  90. Whales Make Waves In the Quest To Discover Why Menopause Evolved
  91. What Is Menopause?
  92. What Is Menopause?
  93. What Is Menopause? [+ Video]
  94. What Is the Menopause?
  95. What Is the Difference Between Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause? [Video]
  96. When Does Perimenopause Start and How Do You Define the Beginning
  97. When You Should See A Doctor About Menopause (or Perimenopause) Symptoms
  98. Why Is FSH Not Needed for Diagnosis of Menopause
  99. World Menopause Day 2024: Leaflet for Women – Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy [Multiply Languages]
  100. World Menopause Day 2024: Poster for Women – The 5 Ws of Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT)

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause. Last Updated: 13 May 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 July 2025
  2. Menopause: Overview. 16 October 2024. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause Accessed: 01 July 2025
  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: 01 July 2025
  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: 01 July 2025
  5. What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause. Last Updated: 13 May 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 July 2025
  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: 01 July 2025
  7. 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: 01 July 2025
  8. The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy: Indications for the Use of Hormone Therapy. 2024:1. Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TMS-statement-on-HT-Misinformation.pdf Accessed: 01 July 2025
  9. What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor. Last Updated: 13 May 2025 | Last Reviewed: 22 April 2025. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 01 July 2025
  10. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 07 August 2024. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 01 July 2025
Topic Last Updated: 01 July 2025 – Topic Last Reviewed: 01 July 2025

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