What is menopause?
Born with a uterus and ovaries? Menopause is a natural and normal process that happens to you as you get older. Menopause usually happens between ages 45 and 55.
How do you know you are experiencing menopause?
Hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, changes in mood, irregular periods and vaginal dryness are all common symptoms.
Menopause starts when your ovaries stop making estrogen, and slow down making other reproductive hormones, like progesterone. Without these hormones, you stop getting your period and stop being able to get pregnant.
If you’re between 45-55 and you haven’t had your period in a year, you aren’t pregnant, and you don’t have a serious illness, you may be going through menopause.
Not everyone goes through menopause because of aging. Sometimes other health issues kickstart menopause.