Menopause - Introduction

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Menopause. At the point at which menopause occurs, the following hormonal changes occur:

• Ovarian secretion of estrogen and progesterone ends.
• Once the ovaries have stopped producing estrogens, however, they still continue to produce small amounts of the male hormone testosterone, which can be converted to estrogen (estradiol) in body fat.
• In addition, the adrenal gland continues to produce androstenedione (a male hormone), which is converted to estrone and estradiol in the body fat.

Click the icon to see an image of the adrenal glands.

• The total estrogen produced after menopause, however, is far less than that produced during a woman's reproductive years.

The average age of women at menopause today is 51.4 years although it can occur as early as age 40 to as late as the early 60s. Women now have a life expectancy of more than 80 years. Currently, women can expect to live some 30 or 40 years of their life in the postmenopausal state.

Menopause is not a disease. However, many conditions are associated with estrogen depletion, including heart disease, osteoporosis, and other complications. Fortunately, effective treatments are available for these conditions.

In a number of studies, most women have reported menopause as a positive experience and have welcomed it with relief and as a sign of a new stage in life.

Review Date: 06/11/2006
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.