When does menopause occur?

Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s life. It is when the menstrual periods permanently end. This happens because as a woman ages, her ovaries make less of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. These are the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle.

When does menopause occur?
The average age for women to have their last period is about 51. But it’s normal for menopause to occur any time from age 40 to 59. A woman often goes through menopause at about the same age as her mother.

Women who have both ovaries removed will go through “surgical menopause” at the time of their surgery. If the uterus is taken out but the ovaries are not, a woman will stop having periods, but she will not go through surgical menopause.

If you stop having periods early (before age 40) your doctor can do a blood test to see if you’re actually going through menopause or if there is another cause for your missed periods.

Menopause is a gradual process that can take several years. You’re not really through menopause until you haven’t had a period for 12 months. (During this time, keep using birth control if you don’t want to become pregnant.)