It naturally happens for many people when they are between the ages of 40 and 58.
In the United States, the average age for menopause to start is 52 years.
Before menopause, decliningestrogenlevels can cause people who menstruate to experience premenopausal symptoms.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
Verywell / Jessica Olah
When Does Menopause Start?
Here is what you might be able to expect at different ages and stages.
In Your 30s
Perimenopauseand menopause do not generally start when you are in your thirties.
Verywell / Nez Riaz
At birth, a person with ovaries has around one million egg cells.
By puberty, they have 300,000 to 500,000.
Some people go through menopause in their thirties.
When this happens, it is known aspremature menopauseor primary ovarian insufficiency.
Premature menopause is not common, occurring in only 1% of people under the age of 40.
Symptoms of premature menopause are the same as those that occur during menopause.
It also makes having multiples more likely.
In Your 50s
The average age of menopause for people in the United States is 52.
Menopause is defined as 12 concurrent months without having a menstrual cycle.
However, if your periods resume before 12 months have passed, you have not yet entered menopause.
The symptoms of menopause are the same as perimenopause, except that you no longer have a period.
Postmenopausal symptoms can include:
What Affects the Age You Start Menopause?
Certain factors may affect when you begin menopause.
Smoking may influence the age of menopause onset.
Studies have found that smoking during the reproductive years was significantly associated with earlier menopause.
Menopause that occurs from the absence of ovaries is known as surgical menopause.
Conditions likeendometriosis, tumors, and cancer may require a person to have their ovaries removed.
Hormone therapies can be used totreat menopause symptoms.
People who receive smaller doses of radiation may find that their ovaries begin to function again with time.
Chemotherapycan also damage the ovaries.
Menopause can occur immediately or months later.
Sudden menopause from chemotherapy is less likely to occur in younger people.
Getting exercise, enough sleep, and dressing in layers can also help manage symptoms.
POI treatment may include:
Testing
Menopause is usually detected due to age and symptoms.
When menopause begins, the ovaries start to shut down and dont respond to the stimulation.
This causes the brain to send more FSH into the body.
Blood levels of FSH will increase as a person’s ovaries begin to shut down.
These levels fluctuate, so these tests may need to be tracked over time.
Estradiol levels:Estradiol is the main form of estrogen found in a person before menopause.
Generally, blood levels fall after menopause.
However, there are exceptions for people who take certain medications.
Bone Density Testing
Bone density tests are not a screen for menopause.
For some people, menopause starts in their forties; for others, it occurs well into their fifties.
They will be able to rule out other conditions and confirm whether you are going through menopause.
They will also be able to support you and help you cope with the symptoms of menopause.
The typical range is from age 40 to 58, but it may begin even earlier.
When menopause occurs before age 40, it is referred to as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI).
Menopause is defined as 12 consecutive months without having a menstrual cycle.
The age at which menopause symptoms stop depends on how old you were when menopause began.
Even then, its difficult to know because every person is different.
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