What happens during menopause?

Menopause is the result of ovarian failure, after which the female hormone levels decline rapidly toward zero. The years surrounding menopause are known as perimenopause, and often results in symptoms related to estrogen loss, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.

Contrary to popular belief, menopause does not span several years, or even several months. Rather, it occurs at a single moment in time, as the result of ovarian failure. At this point, the ovaries can no longer secrete reproductive hormones or release eggs, resulting in the end of both menstruation and the natural possibility of pregnancy.

Because lack of menstruation may be caused by a variety of factors, a declaration of menopause requires the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months without other causes.

To say that menopause takes place as a single point in time is not to imply that millions of women do not experience very real symptoms. In fact, the years preceding and following menopause are known as “perimenopause,” a time in which women experience the effects of hormone decline. This time has become known as “the change” or “climacteric” and usually lasts about 4 to 10 years.

As women go through perimenopause, they may experience numerous symptoms of hormone decline, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, increased loss of bone density, mood changes, and increased frequency of urination.

Many women may find these symptoms to be intolerable, causing intense night sweats, incontinence, and sexual problems. Other women may have milder symptoms, and continue with life as usual. Some women may merely notice the absence of menstruation, with no perimenopausal symptoms.

Doctors such as John Lee, MD, Jonathan Wright, MD and Tori Hudson ND recommend the use of natural hormones instead of the more conventional hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women. According to these practitioners, NATURAL estrogens and NATURAL progesterone provide all the benefits of the synthetic forms with fewer side effects, while protecting or reducing the risk of endometrial and breast cancer.