Menopause
Menopause is the permanent end of menstrual periods. The definition is 12 months in a row with no period (amenorrhea) and no other medical cause.
In industrialized countries, the average age at menopause is about 51 to 52. The normal range is 45 to 55.1 Menopause occurs because the ovaries run out of follicles. Estradiol levels fall and stay low. FSH rises and stays high. The pituitary gland keeps signaling for an ovarian response that no longer comes.
Menopause is a normal stage of life, not a disease. Hormone levels shift during this time, including estradiol, progesterone, FSH, and LH. These shifts affect bone density, heart health, body temperature control (vasomotor regulation), and mood.
These effects vary widely from person to person. Restorative care evaluates each effect as its own condition. It does not treat these effects as an unavoidable burden of aging. Hormone therapy is one tool for managing symptoms, but it is not the only one. Each decision fits the clinical picture and the values of the person.
Menopause before age 40 meets the criteria for Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). POI has its own clinical profile and requires a different path of care.2
Cited in this entry
- Harlow SD, Gass M, Hall JE, et al. Executive summary of the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop + 10: addressing the unfinished agenda of staging reproductive aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97(4):1159-1168. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22344196/
- Panay N et al. Evidence-based guideline: premature ovarian insufficiency. Climacteric. 2024. https://rrmacademy.org/library/evidence-based-guideline-premature-ovarian-insufficiency-recaieeabmuvia3vb/
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
