General Menopause Information
Menopause is the term used when you’ve not had any menstrual periods for 12 months (excluding pregnancies and breastfeeding).
The average age for Australian women to reach menopause is 51 but symptoms can start well before your last period. We usually reach menopause between 45 and 55 years of age, but around 10% will be outside this range and 1% of women will become menopausal under 40. It can be physiological (ie. you’ve “run out of eggs”) or due to medical or surgical treatment.
Menopause symptoms can include:
- hot flushes and night sweats,
- sleep disturbance,
- sexual problems,
- vaginal dryness,
- mood changes,
- muscle aches and pains,
- memory or cognitive difficulties and
- urinary issues
Up to 80% of us will experience menopausal symptoms at some time. The self-reported prevalence of moderate-severe hot flushes in Australian women is up to 50% in certain age groups but unfortunately only 15-20% are on effective treatment.
Most women experience menopause symptoms for around 3-6 years but they may go on for decades. Some treatments are safest to use early in your menopause transition and then remain safe for as long as they’re needed, so don’t delay seeking professional advice in the hope that your symptoms will just “go away by themselves”.
Book Now to talk to a WellFemme menopause specialist and get the latest evidence-based information to guide your treatment choices.
Click here for our free guide: The Facts About Menopause
