The Names and Phases of Menopause.

Geez – I feel like all I hear about is menopause this, and menopause that. I hear the words pre-menopause, premature menopause, perimenopase, and wondered exactly what they mean and how they differ.

So I turned to The North American Menopause Society for some answers, in which they explain the basics.

Menopause: A normal, natural event—defined as the final menstrual period and usually confirmed when a woman has missed her periods for 12 consecutive months (in the absence of other obvious causes). Menopause is associated with reduced functioning of the ovaries due to aging, resulting in lower levels of estrogen and other hormones. It marks the permanent end of fertility. Menopause occurs, on average, at age 51. The years between puberty (when periods start) and menopause
are called premenopause.

Perimenopause: Physical signs of menopause begin many years before the final menstrual period. This menopause transition phase is called perimenopause (literally meaning “around menopause”). It can last 6 years or more, and ends 1 year after the final menstrual period.

Induced Menopause: This can occur at any age between the first and last periods, is when menstrual periods stop due to a medical intervention, surgical removal of both ovaries, or sometimes cancer treatments.

Premature Menopause: Menopause, whether natural or induced, is called premature when women reach it at age 40 or younger. Premature menopause can be genetic, the result of one or more poorly understood autoimmune processes, or it can be induced with a medical intervention.

Postmenopause: Postmenopause is all the years beyond menopause.

I am in either Perimenopause or Premature Menopause, depending on how you look at it. Only my doctor will know the exact stage I am in, and I plan to find out at my yearly gyno appointment in May. So, now that we have that straight, in what stage of menopause are you?