Menopause

Here at The Woods Women's Group, we offer specialized care for the range of perimenopausal and menopausal issues women may encounter during their lifetimes.

What are the three stages of menopause?

Natural menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that doesn't happen because of any type of medical treatment. The process is gradual and happens in three stages:

• Perimenopause or "menopause transition": Perimenopause can begin eight to 10 years before menopause when your ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. It usually starts when you're in your 40s. Perimenopause lasts up until menopause, the point when your ovaries stop releasing eggs. In the last one to two years of perimenopause, the drop in estrogen accelerates. At this stage, many people may experience menopause symptoms. Such as hot flashes or menstrual irregularities. If you are still having menstrual cycles pregnancy can still occur.
• Menopause: Menopause is the point when you no longer have menstrual periods. At this stage, your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and stopped producing most of their estrogen. Menopause is sill diagnosed when you've gone without a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months
• Postmenopause: This is the name given to the time after you haven't had a period for an entire year (or the rest of your life after menopause). During this stage, menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, may get better. However, some people continue to experience menopausal symptoms for a decade or longer after the menopause transition. Any vaginal bleeding during this time is abnormal and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.