Gynecology

Menopause

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Signs and Symptoms

Menopause is a phase of a normal woman's life, one that more than 4,000 women enter each day. Menopause is defined as the period in time when the ovaries cease functioning and menstrual periods stop. In the United States the average age of menopause is 51. The production of hormones in a woman's body begins to decline, however, several years before the onset of menopause. You may also hear the term perimenopause or climacteric, which means the time from when menstrual periods start to diminish up to a year after the final menstrual period.

In the past, menopause was often treated as an illness, a subject only talked about behind exam room doors. Today, women want to understand the physical changes that are happening to their bodies. They are seeking immediate relief for their menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and vaginal dryness. They are also considering the impact of menopause on their risk of chronic disease and their long-term health.

There is abundant information available today for women facing questions about menopause, particularly questions about hormone replacement therapy. Unfortunately, much of this information, including information from medical research, can be confusing and difficult to interpret. UCSF Women's Health can provide individual consultation about menopausal issues including hormone replacement therapy. The Women's Health Resource Center can provide written information for women who wish to read more on their own.

Common symptoms of menopause include:

• Reduced fertility
• Changes in menstrual periods
• Hot flashes
• Vaginal dryness
• Insomnia
• Emotional changes
• Libido changes

Most of these symptoms will stop after menopause is completed.

However, menopause also increases the risk of contracting heart disease or osteoporosis, which continue after menopause is completed. Although not associated with menopause, cancer is associated with advancing age in women.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated February 28, 2008