The term menopause is referred to the period when a woman does not experience the monthly menstruation cycle. Though the average age of menopause is 51 years, the cycle can stop at any time between 42 and 56. The main determining factors for menopause are – the health of the particular women and genetical issues.
It is surprising that modern medical science have not been able to find out the exact causes for menopause. Though genetics and health reasons are considered to be the foremost factors in triggering menopause there are some other conditions too which might trigger menopause. Radiation treatments and thyroid problems might also cause the onset of menopause. Studies have also proved that smoking advances the average age of menopause by two years.
The most unusual thing about menopause is that it sometimes strikes women who are bordering on 40 or have just turned 40. The premature menopause is also known as premature ovarian failure. Premature menopause can affect any women irrespective of her medical conditions. Research has shown that genetical conditions also determine the age of menopause in over 80 % of women in the world.
Women in a menopausal state can incur a number of conditions for which she might have to visit a doctor. There is no production of estrogen in the body and she becomes an easy prey to a number of diseases including osteoporosis and carcinoma. Immediate treatment should be started with the help of a doctor. If the situation is grave then the doctor might suggest hormone replacement therapy.
A woman is said to be in menopause when a year has been completed from her last menstruation cycle. She has to look for certain symptoms which will suggest that she is entering menopause. Perimenopause is the period of two to eight years before the official start of menopause. During this period, menstrual cycles may become irregular or it may skip ovulation altogether. The estrogen levels too behave abnormally during this period. The doctor may prescribe certain tests to determine whether a woman has entered perimenopause or not. Sometimes the symptoms give out wrong signals so a consultation with doctor is absolutely necessary.