What is the Average Age of Menopause?

Some common questions women that are getting closer to menopause ask are;
What age does menopause start?, what is the exact age of menopause?, At what age does menopause commence?

A lot of them have heard much about menopause with many thinking it's an abnormality, hence the need for the above questions to really ascertain the age of onset of menopause. This article will tend to answer the question and give reasons why menopause starts at a certain age.

The average age of menopause vary from woman to woman depending on some predisposing factors of menopause. However, it is generally noted that menopause starts or occurs between the ages of 45 and 55 years. The menstrual period does not often stop abruptly. In most cases, the cycle first becomes, irregular and then lengthens. The ovulation may also become irregular. In medical practice, recognition of menopause requires six months cessation of menses; a condition medically known as Amenorrhea.

In another development, early or premature menopause can also occur. This is said to occur when a woman ceases to see her period (menses) before 40 years of age, in the absence of any other known causes of Amenorrhea like pregnancy.The actual cause of this premature menopause has generated a lot of controversies in the past due to several conflicting but compounding theories. Some schools of thoughts state that premature menopause may occur due to any of the following reasons:

* Early depletion of the woman's egg in the ovary.
* Reduction in the number of the original number of eggs.
* Excessive exposure to ionization radiation
* Impaired ovarian blood supply. That is the decrease in the blood flow to the ovary.

These were found to be the possible factors that can lead to premature menopause. However, it was then concluded that the actual cause remains idiopathic; meaning the cause is unknown.

Interestingly, following a resounding scientific evolution in molecular medicine, it has been found that all these; early menopause and aging, diabetes and hypertension have a common molecular cause known as the Free Radicals. Scientific evidence has also proved that eradication of these Free Radicals amount to eradication of the so called illness of unknown origin.