Age at the Onset of Menopause

Since early menopause is often linked with an increased risk of many diseases, the age at the onset of menopause becomes a key factor. Every woman produces approximately 400 fertilizable eggs in one lifetime, and they typically ovulate once per month every month between their first period and the onset of menopause.

As you age, the quality and the amount of follicles in your ovaries decrease. Longer or shorter, lighter or heavier menses are a sign that you are irregular and not ovulating. As a result, progesterone ceases production. This stage is called perimenopause. During this time, estrogen levels also lessen dramatically and cause menopausal symptoms - such as hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, depression and bone loss. While the average age at the onset of puberty has steadily declined, the typical age at the onset of menopause has remained constant at 52-years-old.

Obviously, surgical menopause is an exception. A small number of women begin their menopausal journey before they reach 40 years old. Others can even start to experience symptoms as early as 20 years old because of the surgical removal of their ovaries. In contrast, some women continue menstruating regularly until they are almost 60 years old.

Several factors are known to affect the age of the onset of menopause. Scientific studies have show that a strong genetic pattern influences womens menopausal age. Women from the same family normally start menopause at a similar age. In addition, there seems to be trends with women of the same ethnic backgrounds. Environment is another factor that can also trigger early menopause. For instance, studies have shown that women in tropical climates tend to begin menopause sooner than do women in cold climates. Anything that affects hormone concentrations can basically affect the onset of menopause. Stress, poor diet and obesity have all been related to early menopause.