Menopause – many middle-aged women are afraid of when it will happen and what symptoms they will have to deal with. Signs often appear years before.
The phase in a woman's life when she comes into "change" is a natural process, and yet feared by many. Girls or young women often experience the side effects of menopause, so-called menopausal complaints, through their own mother, who openly complains about the sometimes very unpleasant symptoms such as hot flashes and sleep disorders. In most cases, menopause begins as early as the age of 40 to 45, in some cases even earlier. Nevertheless, some women can still get pregnant at or over 40. For some, it can help them to better adjust to menopause if they know what happens in the body and what symptoms become noticeable early on.
Menopause: What happens in the body?
Sleep disorders, restless sleep with bouts of heat are among the early signs of premenopause, the phase of the onset of menopause. © amenic181/Imago
Menopause in women (climacteric) begins more than ten years before the last menstrual period and does not end until a long time later. This phase of life is the gradual transition from fertility – that is, the age at which a woman can conceive naturally – to a hormonal state that basically no longer makes a natural pregnancy possible. As a result of the "change", the ovaries produce fewer and fewer sex hormones – first there is a decrease in progesterone in the blood, then later the estrogen concentration decreases noticeably. The female cycles become increasingly irregular and shorter or longer, there is less and less monthly ovulation, so that fertility decreases. The menstrual bleeding is more irregular until it finally stops altogether.
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Doctors speak of the so-called menopause as soon as the very last menstrual period occurs. At this time, women are on average about 52 years old. There are also cases when the period stops at the age of 45 or earlier. Some actually don't experience menopause until they're in their mid-50s. It usually takes about five to seven years for the hormonal change to be completed.
Women who stop bleeding before the age of 40 enter menopause prematurely. This can be the case, for example, with diseases of the thyroid gland, according to the thyroid forum, or therapies such as cancer. In any case, women should talk to their treating gynecologist.
What stages of menopause do women go through
Menopause: Time of the very last menstrual period (menstruation), unless the uterus has been removed and no hormone preparations are used. Menopause can only be determined retrospectively, as no bleeding should have occurred at least twelve months before.
Premenopause: period of menopause before menopause
Perimenopause: One year before to one year after menopause
Postmenopause: Period of menopause, at least twelve months after menopause. Postmenopause usually lasts for several years
Source: Apothekenumschau
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Symptoms of menopause begin insidiously: premenopause years before menopause
In most cases, the female body starts to enter the infertile phase of life from the age of 40. The production of progesterone and estrogen is gradually reduced. This is associated with the first signs at an early stage:
- Increased irritability
- Mood swings up to depressive phases
- Trouble sleeping or restless sleep
- Difficulty concentrating
- Thyroid disease, the risk of which is especially high during menopause
- Anxiety
- Migraine attacks
- Feeling of tightness in the chest
- Increased water retention
- Weight gain
- Joint pain
- Heat bouts
This article contains only general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication. It is in no way a substitute for a visit to the doctor. Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.