Formally, menopause is a period that begins once a woman’s body is done having menstrual cycles. A woman is said to have entered menopause once her body has not menstruated for 12 months, as long as no medical conditions or surgeries can be identified as the cause for the absence of menstrual cycles. Most women enter menopause in their early 50s, though menopause can begin as early as the 30s or 40s.
Menopause, when it begins naturally, is a normal and healthy part of the aging process. A woman’s menstrual cycle has been continually cycling since she entered puberty. As she ages, the body naturally begins to slow down its reproductive cycle, until the ovaries fully stop releasing eggs, bringing the recurring cycle to a full stop.
