Menopause is a process that occurs in women as they come to the end of their reproductive years. After puberty and before menopause, healthy women will experience menstrual cycles. During each cycle an egg is released from the ovaries and the woman’s body prepares for the egg to be fertilized. When this does not happen, the woman experiences a menstrual cycle where the egg and the uterus lining are released from the body. During each of these normal menstrual cycles a woman may become pregnant. This fertility is essential as it allows couples to have children whenever they want during the fertile years of the mother. Menopause is the process where this release of eggs stops. Menopause typically happens towards the end of the 40’s and the beginning of the 50’s.

Menopause

Menopause brings with it several hormonal changes. As the woman’s body is no longer menstruating, certain sex related hormones may become less concentrated in the blood. A woman experiencing menopause may therefore lose interest in sexual activity. In some cases, menopause causes an increase in the sex drive of the woman. This essentially depends on the hormonal chemistry of each woman and is different in every case. Menopause is considered to be complete when the woman has not had a menstrual period for over 12 months. Once this declaration has been made, the woman will no longer be able to bear children.

Menopause can be quite stressful on the woman’s body. Psychologically, the loss of fertility or the termination of fertility may make the woman feel depressed as well. There are many different ways of dealing with menopause. Many women seek the support of their families and their social group to help with the changes they are experiencing. In some cases, hormone replacement therapy is used so that the sudden drop in the production of certain hormones is compensated for. Menopause Hormone replacement therapy can even help with the sex drive of the woman. In many cases, an active sex life at this age helps to deal with menopause as it produces many hormones that help in dealing with the condition. The positive changes experienced by a woman depend on her outlook on life as well. Many women find the termination of their fertility as liberating. Some women feel that the absence of the risk of pregnancy is a positive change. Some women also seek this time as an opportunity to change their lives positively and may consider menopause to be a fresh start.