Simply put, menopause marks the end of your reproductive years. Despite its bad reputation, menopause is a completely natural and normal biological process. It’s not an ailment to cure or a problem to solve, but rather a phase of life that every woman will experience. In fact, many women celebrate its arrival as they say goodbye to annoying periods and their accompanying cramps, backaches and bloating.

Menopause is caused by a gradual decline of hormone production. As you get older, your ovaries produce less and less estrogen and progesterone, the two hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle. Eventually, your periods stop completely.

In the United States, the average age of menopause is 51. Most women reach this milestone between the ages of 45 and 55. Approximately 5% of women experience early menopause (menopause that occurs before age 45) or premature menopause (menopause that occurs before age 40). Menopause that occurs after age 55 is known as late-onset menopause.

Menopause may also be caused by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation or by surgical removal of the ovaries.

You will not get a formal diagnosis of menopause from your doctor until you haven’t had your period for 12 months. At that point, you are actually postmenopausal—meaning you won’t be diagnosed with menopause until after it has occurred.

Testing is not required to diagnose menopause. However, your doctor may order blood or urine tests to determine the levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) in your body. During the transition to menopause, estradiol levels decrease while FSH and LH levels increase to compensate. Your doctor can review these test results to help determine if you have officially reached menopause.

Your doctor also may order a test that measures your level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) to rule out hypothyroidism, which can cause symptoms similar to those of menopause.

Fun fact: Technically, menopause lasts just one day. When you have gone 12 months without a menstrual period, you have officially reached menopause. Think of it as the one-year anniversary of your last period.

So why does everyone talk about menopause as though it lasts for months or years? That’s because menopause occurs in three stages :

  1. Perimenopause, or the roughly 4-10 years preceding menopause
  2. Menopause, or the point when you have not had a period for 12 months
  3. Postmenopause, or the years following menopause

Generally speaking, when people talk about menopause, they are actually talking about perimenopause. Perimenopause is the stage associated with the most noticeable symptoms . As hormonal production slows and your cycles become irregular, your body responds and adapts. This can result in uncomfortable side effects such as hot flashes, a decreased libido, difficulty sleeping and mood swings.

About 85% percent of women experience symptoms during menopause. The number and severity of symptoms varies; some women will have few or no symptoms, others will experience mild or moderate symptoms, and still others will experience severe symptoms that impact their day-to-day life.

If menopause symptoms are affecting your daily activities, you may be a good candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. BHRT boosts your hormone levels through bioidentical hormones that mimic the hormones your body produces naturally. These hormones can reduce hot flashes, relieve vaginal dryness, improve your sleep, strengthen your bones, and more. Talk to a BHRT provider  to find out if BHRT is the right choice for you.

Menopause isn’t the beginning of the end; it is the beginning of a new stage of life. During postmenopause, which lasts the rest of your life, your hormone levels remain low. You will no longer have a monthly period, and you can no longer get pregnant.

Uncomfortable symptoms typically get milder or disappear completely once you reach postmenopause. For some women, these symptoms may persist for a few more months or years. Most women find they feel more confident during this stage as symptoms subside and they rediscover themselves.

Estrogen offers protective benefits against a number of health conditions, and as your estrogen levels decrease, your risk of developing these conditions increases. Postmenopausal women are at particular risk for heart disease, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy. It’s important to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and maintain good sleep habits in order to stay healthy.

Manage your menopause.

Find a menopause provider near you and schedule your bioidentical hormones consultation today.