Menopause in layman’s term is the stage in which a woman stops menstruating. The woman’s menstruation ceases for one year, and then eventually ends her reproductive cycle. A woman can no longer be pregnant at this stage. This is a natural condition that happens to all women, often at around 45-55 years of age. Reading along will enable you to find out what is menopause and how to deal with it.
Most people; including women going through menopause, often call the situation as “menopause”. The truth behind this is that it really is called Perimenopause. Perimenopause is the stage of a woman’s life that actually leads to menopause. This is the stage where a diagnosis is made when it’s been 12 months without a period. The stage after this is called post-menopause. Women who are post-menopausal can no longer get pregnant.
What is menopause all about? Menopause happens because as a woman gets older her ovaries begin to shut down. The ovaries eventually stop producing estrogen and other hormones. Menopausal stage occurs under the influence of hormonal changes in the body. A woman’s body has depended on these hormones since puberty stage, so when the amount of hormones decreases various changes happen. Chemical and physical changes happen during menopause. Just like puberty, which is the other time in a woman’s life where hormones shift rapidly, menopause can be a time of emotional reactions and changes in the body. If you know what is menopause, you can easily make the necessary adjustments.
Women may experience symptoms such as mood swings, urinary changes, hot flashes, change in menstruation cycle, and changes in sex drive. Women who face these symptoms must put extra effort in getting enough nutrition in the body. Those who eat right, sleep right, and nourish themselves well, get through menopause in a good manner.
Now that you know what is menopause, here are the several types of menopause:
- Natural Menopause – this occurs when a woman’s ovaries slowly stops functioning which results into the stoppage of menstruation.
- Induced Menopause – this is due to surgery or medication that affects a woman’s ovaries. Surgery that damages the ovaries will cause an abrupt menopause. On the other hand, if the ovaries are removed, then it is called a surgical menopause.
- Premature Menopause – this happens when a woman stops menstruating before reaching 40 years old. Aside from surgery, there are a lot of reasons why women may be vulnerable to early menopause.
Some of which are:
§ Smoking
§ Thyroid disease
§ Chemotherapy
§ Endocrine disorders
§ Chromosome defects
§ Autoimmune disease
§ Heavy drinking
Menopause is something all women have to go through as it is part of life. It is a perfectly normal and natural process. It should never be considered as a disease, it is simply a new phase in a woman’s life. The symptoms may bother or distress a woman, but most of these are temporary and can be remedied. Now that you know what is menopause, you need not to worry. This is just a phase of a woman’s life that she must go through. From puberty, to giving birth, to the finish line: Menopause.