Periods And Menopause
The distinguishing characteristic of menopause is that periods stop. When it comes to periods and menopause, many women are relieved that they will finally have an end to their monthly cycle.
At the same time, however, these same women might feel sad at the realization that their fertility has ended.
Menstruation And Menopause
A period is also referred to as menses, or the menstrual cycle. It is the process that occurs when each month, an ovary releases an egg to be fertilized.
The uterus prepares for the potential pregnancy and creates a lining where the newly fertilized egg will be implanted.
When the egg is fertilized, it implants in the lining and a baby will ultimately be born. If the egg is not fertilized, it will be shed, along with the lining of the uterus in the form of a period.
Most women begin their periods at approximately twelve years old.
Periods and menopause are the two most important aspects of a woman’s life. Once a girl begins her period she has entered a new phase of her life and her reproduction cycle has officially begun.
Many women will not enter menopause until they are approximately 50 years old, making the fertile years of a woman’s life lasting for nearly four decades.
There is no doubt that periods and menopause are two of the most important events in many women’s lives.
When a woman begins to enter the early stages of menopause, it is referred to as perimenopuase.
During perimenopause, a woman’s periods may become sporadic or lose their regularity.
Every woman’s body is different and for some, the perimenopausal stage might last several years, while for others it could last as long as eight years.
When a woman enters perimenopause her estrogen levels begin to fluctuate. Some months, her estrogen levels will be normal, while others they might be quite low.
During these months, she might fail to ovulate, have periods that are significantly shorter in duration, and might even see her periods increase and become lengthier.
All of these signs indicate that a woman is entering the transition period for menopause.
