Age of Menopause and Pre-Menstrual-Syndrome

The Average age of menopause varies from 45 to 52 years-old, with a range between 45 and 55 years. Those whose menstruation ceases before 45 years are said to have a "premature menopause".

The exact time of the menopause is very individual, however a study of the following four factors can give some indication as to whether it will be early or late.

1. The age of menarche. The effect of this is that those who start menstruation early tend to finish late, giving a "rainbow" effect from 11, 13, 15years to 45, 50, 55years.

2. The hormonal group. Those in the oestrogen-deficient group have a tendency to finish menstruation before the average, while sufferers from the premenstrual syndrome tend to finish after 50 years of age.

3. Genetic factor, some families give a story of the mother, sister and aunts all finishing menstruation early, in which case such a patient may also expect to finish early. For this reason it is worth finding out at what age the mother had her last normal menstruation.

4. Smoking. A survey showed that at 48-49 years 36% of smokers were post-menopausal compared with 23% non-smokers, four years later the figures were 89% smokers and 71% non-smokers. So smoking habits should also be considered when estimating the probable age at which the menopause may occur.

PATTERNS OF ENDING - There may be a gradual ending, so that whereas menstruation initially lasted four or five days, it gradually lasts one or two days, then only one day or even one hour monthly, but nevertheless the cycle is maintained and menstruation comes when expected.

There may be the occasional missed menstruation, possibly just an odd one and then menstruation resumes again for a month or two before another is missed. Gradually there are more missed menstruations than actual menstruations, but each menstruation lasts the expected number of days, say four to six days.

There is the sudden ending of menstruation, which had previously been regular, the final menstruation lasting the normal or nearly normal number of days. This abrupt ending is most likely if it has coincided with a stressful event, such as a daughter's wedding, moving house, or becoming a grandparent. This abrupt ending may even be the start of a depressive illness.

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