What is menopause?

Menopause is a natural process, and not a medical problem or illness. After a certain age, women produce lower levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. At this stage, all reproductive functions stop naturally, thus reducing your ability to conceive or get pregnant. While most women undergo menopause naturally, without any side effects, others can suffer from moderate to extreme side effects. Due to changes in hormone levels, menopause in some cases can lead to other health complications. At Padmavati Maternity Hospital Menopause Clinic, we are well equipped and trained to help you through this natural process, and will treat any complications resulting from menopause.

At what age does menopause occur?

The developments leading up to menopause happen over several years, commonly from your early 40s to around 55 years of age. No signs or predictions can indicate when a woman will begin feeling the symptoms of menopause, or even undergo menopause. It starts when your periods become irregular and when you have not had a period for a full year, it is considered as the beginning of your menopause. It should also be noted that the age at which a woman starts experiencing menstrual periods also does not relate to the onset of menopause.

“Induced” or “surgical” menopause happens when a woman goes through an immediate and premature menopause. This occurs when her ovaries no longer produce the hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone and occurs when she has had surgery to remove the ovaries or chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The symptoms are usually more severe.

What are the symptoms of menopause?

Common indicators and symptoms of menopause include weight gain, pain in the joints, vaginal dryness and urinary tract infections. Changes in texture or dryness of the skin, dryness or loss of scalp hair are also common. In some cases, women going through menopause may also observe a reduced sex drive or sexual dysfunction, fatigue, night sweats and osteoporosis. Other commonly reported symptoms include feeling cold, hot flashes, sweating, early awakening, insomnia, or sleeping difficulty. You can also go through emotional symptoms such as anxiety or nervousness, sadness, sense of loss or even depression. In most cases, these symptoms will lessen or disappear once a woman has completed menopause.