Postmenopause

Postmenopause

“Postmenopause is a term to describe
the time after you’ve gone through menopause.
When you’re in postmenopause (or postmenopausal)…”.1

Umbrella

What may the Postmenopause Umbrella include?

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

  • After/Beyond Menopause
  • Postmenopausal
  • Post Menopause/Post-Menopause/Postmenopause

DefinitionPostmenopause

What is the definition of postmenopause?

DotS the definition of postmenopause may vary. The International Menopause Society’s (IMS) definition is:

“Postmenopause – the stage after the final menstrual period”.2

The (United States) Cleveland Clinic’s definition is:

“Postmenopause is a term to describe the time after you’ve gone through menopause. When you’re in postmenopause (or postmenopausal), your menstrual period has been gone for longer than 12 consecutive months. At this stage in life, your reproductive years are behind you and you’re no longer ovulating (or releasing eggs)”.3

The Australasian Menopause Society’s definition is:

“When a woman has had no periods for 12 consecutive months, she is considered to be postmenopausal”.4

Duration

How long does postmenopause last?

In Postmenopause: How Long Does Postmenopause Last? the (United States) Cleveland Clinic note:

“Once you enter postmenopause, you’re in this stage for the rest of your life. Your hormone levels will remain low and you’ll no longer have a monthly period. You can’t get pregnant because your ovaries stop releasing eggs”.5

Menopause Symptoms

Do menopause symptoms stop when postmenopause starts?

Not necessarily. In Menopause: What Is Postmenopause? the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:


“As your body adjusts to lower hormone levels you might have fewer or less troubling menopausal symptoms. For some women, though, menopausal symptoms extend into postmenopause”.6

Chronic Medical Conditions

Is there an association between chronic medical conditions and postmenopause?

In Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition: Are There Any Health Risks Associated With Menopause? the (United States) Mayo Clinic explain:

“A woman’s risk for these chronic medical conditions can increase after menopause:

  • Cardiovascular disease
    The decline in estrogen increases the risk of heart attack and stroke
  • Osteoporosis
    During the first few years after menopause, women may rapidly lose bone density, leading to an enhanced risk for bone fractures
  • Genitourinary syndrome of menopause
    As vaginal tissues lose elasticity, and becomes thin and dry, women may struggle with pain during intercourse. The urethra also becomes dry and irritated, which may increase the risk of infection. Some women may need to urinate more often and may experience leakage, also known as urinary incontinence
  • Weight gain
    Because of the decrease in basal metabolic rate after menopause, women may need to decrease caloric intake and increase exercise to maintain their weight”.7

Hormone Therapy

Is hormone therapy the “fountain of youth”?

On page three of Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 1. Who Is MHT For? Who Might Not Need MHT?, the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day 2024, the IMS note:

“Women who go through menopause at the natural age (after 45) and have no bothersome symptoms usually don’t need MHT. Some people believe MHT is a “fountain of youth”, but there’s little scientific evidence for that. It’s important to remember MHT is not recommended solely to prevent aging, memory loss, or dementia”.8
Postmenopause

Postmenopausal Vaginal Bleeding

What if I have postmenopausal vaginal bleeding?

In Postmenopausal Bleeding: Overview – What Is Postmenopausal Bleeding? the Cleveland Clinic note:

“Postmenopausal bleeding is vaginal bleeding that occurs after menopause. Menopause is when a woman hasn’t had a menstrual period in 12 months. Bleeding from your vagina after menopause isn’t normal”.9

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Following postmenopause, is it still possible to acquire sexually transmitted infections?

In Menopause: Changes Associated With Menopause the World Health Organization explain:

“During perimenopause and following menopause, it is still possible to acquire sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, through unprotected sexual contact, including oral, anal and vaginal sex. The thinning of the vaginal wall after menopause increases the chances of lesions and tears, thereby increasing the risk of HIV transmission during vaginal sex”.10

Health Care Provider

After menopause, what is it important to be mindful of?

The JH remind us:

“It’s important to look after your health after menopause. Menopause, ageing or a combination of both increases your risk of developing certain health conditions”.11

Health Topics A-Z

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

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Postmenopause?

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Links

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New or Updated

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  5. Bleeding After Menopause? Here’s What You Need To Know
  6. Bone Health
  7. Bones, Joints and Ageing Well – What Every Woman Should Know
  8. Build Better Bones.org [International Osteoporosis Foundation]
  9. Can You Start HRT After 60? What the Evidence Shows
  10. Cleveland Clinic Releases New National Report on the State of Women’s Health In the U.S.
  11. Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non-Hormonal Treatments for Menopause Symptoms
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  16. Cutting Through the Myths Around Testosterone
  17. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM): Diagnosis and Evidence-Based Management (EN)
  18. EMAS On-Demand Webinars [European Menopause and Andropause Society] [Multiply Languages]: Sleep Disturbances In Menopause
  19. Find A Member [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
  20. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  21. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  22. Finding the Right Hormone Treatments (HRT): Types, Doses and What Works
  23. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause
  24. HRT Questions Answered
  25. HRT – Types, Doses and Regimens
  26. Handling Hot Flushes and Night Sweats| Dr Louise Newson
  27. Healthy Ageing Hub
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  30. Heart Health for Women [+ Videos]
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  34. Hormone Therapy: Is It Right for You?
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  36. Hot Flashes
  37. How Can I Keep My Heart Healthy After Menopause?
  38. How Vaginal Hormones Can Transform the Health of Women
  39. Infographic: Staying Healthy During and After Menopause
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  40. International Menopause Society (IMS) Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause
  41. Is It Too Late To Start HRT?
  42. Jean Hailes Healthy Aging Podcasts
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  43. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – After the Menopause [Other Languages and Formats]
  44. Life’s Essential 8
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  52. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – Stages of Menopause: Postmenopause
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  53. Menopause and Sleep
  54. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]
  55. Menopause: Identification and Management [NICE Guideline]Postmenopause
  56. Midlife Weight Gain
  57. Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
  58. National Women’s Health Week [10 – 16 May 2026]
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  59. National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) From the FDA Office of Women’s Health
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  60. Navigating Menopause: Honest Answers To All Your Questions [+ Video: What To Expect in Menopause]
  61. Navigating Menopause Care Resource Guide
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  62. Numbers You Should Know for Your Heart: What To Ask Your Doctor
  63. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – Evaluating High-Risk Patients In Menopause At Risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)
  64. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – It Is Not Just Incontinence – Common Bladder Problems Around Menopause
  65. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – Weight, Wellness, and Women At Midlife: Rethinking Obesity In the Menopause Transition
  66. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: IMS Partnership Symposia Series – What’s Hot? Options for Treatment of Hot Flushes 2025
  67. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars 2024 – Skin and Connective Tissue Aging At the Time of the Menopause
  68. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars 2025 – Lifestyle Medicine
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  71. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars 2025 – The Burn, the Itch, the Pain, the Urge: GSM In Women
  72. Osteoporosis
  73. Osteoporosis To Prevent Fractures: Screening [Final Recommendation Statement United States Preventive Services Task Force
  74. Pathtogoodbonehealth.org [Your Path To Good Bone Health, Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, United States]
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  75. Postmenopause: Symptoms and Impact
  76. Professional Video and Podcast Series: 2025 Professional Videos and Podcasts – Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder HSDD—Open the Door To Discussion
  77. Prosayla Supported By ISSWSH [International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health]
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  88. Vaginal Dryness After Menopause: How To Treat It?
  89. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
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Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Postmenopause: Overview – What Is Postmenopause? 08 August 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21837-postmenopause Accessed: 09 May 2026
  2. Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Terms. Page 4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/education/menopause-terminology/ Accessed: 09 May 2026
  3. Postmenopause: Overview – What Is Postmenopause? 08 August 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21837-postmenopause Accessed: 09 May 2026
  4. What Is Menopause? May 2022. Australasian Menopause Society https://hub.menopause.org.au/Channel/ResourcesforHealthProfessionals/10866042-f148-4cdd-9906-b2597254270f Accessed: 09 May 2026
  5. Postmenopause: How Long Does Postmenopause Last? 08 August 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21837-postmenopause Accessed: 09 May 2026
  6. Menopause: What Is Postmenopause? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/#section-what-is-postmenopause Accessed: 09 May 2026
  7. Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition: Are There Any Health Risks Associated With Menopause? 26 April 2023. Mayo Clinic https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/menopause-ensuring-a-tranquil-transition/ Accessed: 09 May 2026
  8. Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 3. When Should MHT Be Started and Stopped? Long-Term Use. 2024:3. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 09 May 2026
  9. Postmenopausal Bleeding: Overview – What Is Postmenopausal Bleeding? Last Reviewed 15 January 2024. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21549-postmenopausal-bleeding Accessed: 09 May 2026
  10. Menopause: Changes Associated With Menopause. 16 October 2024. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause Accessed: 23 November 2025
  11. Menopause: What Is Postmenopause? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-topics/menopause/#section-what-is-postmenopause Accessed: 09 May 2026
Topic Last Updated: 30 July 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 09 May 2026

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