Natural menopause
Natural menopause occurs when the ovaries naturally decrease their production of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone; there are no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months; and no other biological or physiological cause can account for this.
Menopause is the end of the childbearing years. (It is important to remember that until 12 months have passed without a period, a woman may still become pregnant).
Natural menopause is as opposed to induced menopause. Induced menopause occurs when the ovaries are surgically removed (by bilateral oophorectomy) or are damaged by radiation or drugs. Due to the abrupt cutoff of ovarian hormones, induced menopause causes the sudden onset of hot flashes and other menopause-related symptoms such as a vaginal dryness and a decline in sex drive.
A woman can usually tell if she is approaching menopause because her menstrual periods start changing. The medical terms used to describe this time are the “menopause transition” and “perimenopause”. The changes of the menopause transition (perimenopause) begin several years before the natural menopause when the levels of hormones produced by the aging ovaries fluctuate leading to irregular menstrual patterns (irregularity in the length of the period, the time between periods, and the level of flow) and hot flashes (a sudden warm feeling with blushing).
Other changes associated with the menopause (natural or induced) include night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, fluctuations in sexual desire (libido), forgetfulness, trouble sleeping and fatigue, probably from loss of sleep. The timing of natural menopause is variable. In the western world the average age is now 51.
There is no relation between the time of a woman’s first period and her age at menopause. The age at menopause is not influenced by a woman’s race, height, number of children or use of oral contraceptives.
Read Also:
- Natural killer cell
A cell that can react against and destroy another cell without prior sensitization to it. Abbreviated NK cell. NK cells are part of our first line of defense against cancer cells and virus-infected cells. NK cells are small lymphocytes that originate in the bone marrow and develop without the influence of the thymus. An NK […]
- Natural pacemaker
The natural pacemaker of the heart is the sinus node, one of the major elements in the cardiac conduction system, the system that controls the heart rate. This stunningly designed system generates electrical impulses and conducts them throughout the muscle of the heart, stimulating the heart to contract and pump blood. The sinus node consists […]
- Naturalistic study
A type of study in which the researcher very carefully observes and records some behavior or phenomenon, sometimes over a prolonged period, in its natural setting while interfering as little as possible with the subjects or phenomena. In medical research, a naturalistic study usually involves observing people as they go about their normal activities. The […]
- Nature (journal)
Nature Genetics (launched in 1992), Nature Structural Biology (launched in 1994), Nature Medicine (launched in 1995), Nature Biotechnology (formerly Bio/technology – re-launched as a new title in 1996), Nature Neuroscience (launched in 1998), Nature Cell Biology (launched in May 1999), and Nature Immunology (launched in July, 2000). Nature is a general science journal (one of […]
- Naturopath
A physician who practices naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession, emphasizing prevention, treatment and optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances which encourage the person’s inherent self-healing process, the vis medicatrix naturae.