Introduction
The menopause describes the last menstruation caused by ovulation. The transitional phase, in which the woman loses her fertility, is called the climacteric or menopause. During this time, the ovaries lose their function, which causes, among other things, the oestrogen level to drop.
But other sex hormones are also subject to changes. The phase before the last ovulation is called premenopause and the phase after is called postmenopause. The time around the last ovulation is called perimenopause. During this time, some women suffer from various symptoms, while others do not notice any change apart from the absence of menstruation.
The causes
With age, the function of the ovaries decreases until it finally disappears completely. As a result, no more female egg cells mature in the ovary and ovulation does not occur. The woman can no longer become pregnant.
The maturing process and ovulation are controlled by various hormones in the body, which are also responsible for a woman’s cycle lasting approximately 28 days. In addition, the ovaries, which are controlled by the two hormones FSH and LH, produce estrogen. When the function of the ovaries, and therefore the production of oestrogen, decreases, the balance starts to fluctuate. The levels of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) are too high, which among other things leads to bleeding even though ovulation has already stopped. These hormone changes can lead to various symptoms and changes.
The typical age?
There are great differences among women at the time of menopause. The average age is 51 years. The menopause usually begins between the ages of 40 and 50.
They can last until the age of 62. For women who smoke and suffer from diabetes or other chronic diseases, the menopause occurs on average about two years earlier. In addition, women whose mothers entered the menopause early also tend to start menopause a little earlier.
In some cases, women enter the menopause under the age of 40. This is called climacteric praecox. There are various causes for the climacteric praecox. This can be genetic or due to other diseases, e.g. an autoimmune disease or after radiation/chemotherapy. In one out of a thousand cases, menopause occurs before the age of 30, which is often an enormous burden for the affected women.
