What is menopause?

Menopause is typically defined as being when women’s periods stop and her childbearing years come to an end as hormone levels decrease. This is generally a natural part of the ageing process, although it can be brought on early by certain cancer treatments. That said, the association with periods oversimplifies what happens and why during this life stage. In reality menopause is a complex process, and the cessation of menstrual cycles is just one of the consequences.

There are, in fact, three stages of menopause (perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause), and many symptoms that can occur with varying degrees of intensity over a 20 year period. Some women experience almost all of those symptoms, others very few.

While intense symptoms can be extremely difficult to cope with, more subtle ones can also be disconcerting. Women speak of feeling like they are losing their minds when they forget things or experience brain fog, for example.

Research has identified as many as 76 menopause symptoms, and there are undoubtedly many more. Women and their bodies are complex, and as a society we are only just beginning to acknowledge their uniqueness.