How Long Does Menopause Last?

Want to know ‘how long does menopause last?’

My discussing with women has enabled me to understand what women really want to know  when they ask this question. For the majority, though they ask about menopause, they are really interested in knowing about perimenopause or postmenopause. Maybe just a game of words here but just for clarity, these three words- perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause refer to different  phases of the change. You many want to read more about the correct meaning of the term  menopause.

How Long?

Technically speaking, menopause is actually not a span of time but a specific date that separates perimenopause and postmenopause. It is the time or date after which there are no periods for the next consecutive months.

Therefore it would appear inappropriate to ask about the duration of menopause. Rather, it is the duration of perimenopause and postmenopause that is of any practical value.

Perimenopause

Perimenopause is the period that precedes menopause.It usually starts about the mid 40’s and continues until menopause, that is until the date after which no more menses occur for 12 consecutive months. There may be a varying combination and severity of the symptoms of menopause. This phase varies from woman to woman and can be from 5 to 15 years.

Postmenopause

Postmenopause last as long as the woman remains alive after the change. It is the unreproductive years of a woman’s life.  Depending on the lifespan of each region, it could be from 5 years to about 45 years.

Why This Question?

Why worry about the duration of peri- or post-menopause? The major concern  of most women is that these symptoms might be disturbing and therefore they want to have an idea  how long they would have to put up  with this.

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