Menopause Age: Understanding When It Typically Occurs

Menopause is when a woman stops menstruating. Menopause is a normal event for all women, marking the end of fertility.

• Menopause is a normal event for all women.

Background

• Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing estrogen and other hormones. Usually menopause is confirmed after a woman has not had a period for a year. Physical signs of menopause often begin months or years before a woman's last period, a phase called perimenopause.

Average Age

• Most women reach menopause sometime after age 45. The average age of menopause is 51.

Premature Menopause

• Women who reach menopause before 40 are considered to have reached premature menopause.

Causes of Premature Menopause

• Smoking, genetic causes and operations such as hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) and oophorectomies (removal of the ovaries) can lead to premature menopause.

Health Risks

• Women with premature menopause are at higher risk for some health issues, such as osteoporosis and heart disease, because they spend more years without the benefits of estrogen.