Menopause: what is it?
ARTICLE
01 January 2024
4 min read
4 min read
While every person will experience menopause differently, they will reach it for the same reason: they’ve had their final period. Menopausal symptoms are common and treatable, yet a lot of Australian women don’t know how their bodies will change, or they feel too embarrassed – and even scared – to talk to their GP for advice1.
Here, we lay out the menopause basics: what it is, when it happens, how the body changes, and what you can do to manage symptoms.
What is menopause?
Menopause is the natural end of monthly periods. It’s the time when your ovaries no longer produce fertile eggs, and it’s confirmed by 12 months of no menstrual bleeding. Menopause marks the end of the reproductive stage of life.
People sometimes use the term ‘menopause’ to cover the time leading up to menopause when you experience symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, and irregular periods. This lead-up phase is actually called ‘perimenopause’. And ‘postmenopause’ is the phase after menopause.
When does menopause happen?
The average age of menopause is 512, but it’s normal to reach it sometime between the ages of 45 and 603.
Around 1 in 12 women experience ‘early’ menopause by the time they’re 454, usually because of surgery to remove the ovaries, cancer treatments, or certain health conditions, but sometimes the cause isn’t known.
What changes happen with menopause?
When ovaries start to slow down during perimenopause, the levels of three main hormones start to fluctuate5.
- In perimenopause, oestrogen levels go up and down, but leading up to your final period, they fall by up to 90%.
- In the lead-up to menopause, progesterone levels decrease.
- Testosterone drops gradually with age. Sometimes, between the ages of 20 and 40, it can drop by half.
What are common menopausal systems?
Menopausal symptoms can show up in perimenopause while the body adjusts to all the changing hormone levels. The good news is that symptoms are often temporary, and they can be managed, often with lifestyle factors alone or with the addition of hormone treatment.
Common symptoms6 include:
- hot flushes
- problems sleeping
- night sweats
- a dry vagina
- itchy, dry skin
- sore joints
- incontinence or bladder discomfort
- low sex drive
- mood changes
- anxiety
- tiredness
It’s important to remember that every person experiences menopause differently. Some don’t experience any of these symptoms, while others can struggle with many, which could affect quality of life.
A report from the 2023 National Women’s Health Survey7 found that a quarter of women between 45 and 64 who said they were bothered by menopausal symptoms had difficulty doing daily activities (such as work, study, or exercise). On the other hand, another quarter reported no major impact on their lives at all.
To keep track of the symptoms you experience, see this scorecard from the Australasian Menopause Society and keep a checklist that you can tick off and share with your GP.
Managing menopause
As soon as you notice symptoms, or if you’re worried about any changes in your body or your mind as you reach menopause, speak to your GP. There are plenty of ways to reduce symptoms or get ahead of your long-term health management.
One of the best things you can do to manage your physical and mental wellbeing through menopause is to keep a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy food, exercise whenever you can, practise mindfulness, manage your stress, form healthy sleeping habits, and meet regularly with friends or join a community group to talk about how you feel.
Some common symptoms can be treated safely with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)8, a medication that effectively balances out the body’s changing hormone levels. And studies have shown that MHT can even reduce the risk of osteoporosis9. Always speak to your health care professional about any treatments, risks, or side effects.
Remember: menopause is a normal phase of life for women, and so are its symptoms. Why not think about menopause as a chance to take stock of your health, learn about how your body will change, and set yourself up to age well?
Footnotes
1 https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2023/218/11/advancing-menopause-care-australia-barriers-and-opportunities
2 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause
3 https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/menopause
4 https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/early-menopause
5 https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause
6 https://www.menopause.org.au/health-info/fact-sheets/menopause-what-are-the-symptoms
7 https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/uploads/About_us/Menopause-and-Australian-Women-FINAL_UNTAGGED_2.pdf
8 https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt-and-menopause#what-is-menopausal-hormone-therapy-mht
9 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11914-019-00549-3
Staff Writer
Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.
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Copyright © 2023 AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861 AFSL 230043). This is general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situation, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, medical, nutritional, health, fitness or other advice. The source information of the articles is current as of the date of publication and may be subject to change. While the information contained herein is believed to be accurate, AIA Australia expressly disclaims any and all liability for representations or warranties, expressed or implied, contained in, or for omissions from, the information.
Copyright © 2023 AIA Australia Limited (ABN 79 004 837 861 AFSL 230043). This is general information only, without taking into account factors like the objectives, financial situation, needs or personal circumstances of any individual and is not intended to be financial, legal, tax, medical, nutritional, health, fitness or other advice. The source information of the articles is current as of the date of publication and may be subject to change. While the information contained herein is believed to be accurate, AIA Australia expressly disclaims any and all liability for representations or warranties, expressed or implied, contained in, or for omissions from, the information.
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