What exactly happens in menopause?
Menopause signals the end of a woman s fertility. Her body slowly stops the production of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Her periods become less frequent and more irregular, finally stopping about 3 to 5 years later. She may experience hot flashes, mood swings, joint pain, and vaginal dryness. Because estrogen is no longer there to protect her, she is also more prone to heart disease, osteoporosis, and other health problems.3,6,7 On average, menopause occurs at about age 50. But just like the beginning of menstruation in early adolescence, the timing of menopause varies greatly among women. It s estimated that every day in North America, over 5,400 women enter menopause (menopause is termed complete after one year without a period). Because the United States overall population is getting older, by the year 2015 approximately half of all the women in this country will be menopausal. Women at age 54 can easily expect to live another 30 years. About two-thirds of the total US