Menopause starts 1 year after a person’s last menstrual period, the average age being 51 in the United States. Dr. Mirela Mircea and Dr. Vivian Lugo-Eschenwald of Family Medicine Associates of Alexandria in Alexandria, Virginia help with the transition, treating symptoms and counseling about this new phase of a woman’s life. Call today for a consultation at FMAA.
Women are born with a fixed number of eggs stored in their ovaries. The ovaries also produce the hormones that control ovulation and menstruation. When the ovaries no longer release eggs, menstruation stops, and menopause begins. The menopause cycle has 3 phases:
These symptoms usually begin in the perimenopause phase and continue until the start of postmenopause. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, or to the same degree. The most common include:
Missed periods in the perimenopausal phase are common. In fact, continuing regular periods up to last are very rare. Despite missed periods, pregnancy remains possible. When symptoms start to appear, schedule a visit with FMAA to help manage the changes that menopause creates.
After menopause, risk factors for other conditions increase. Postmenopausal women are more prone to experience:
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