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MENOPAUSE RESOURCE CENTER
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Menopause is a universal and irreversible part of the overall aging process involving a woman’s reproductive system, after which she no longer menstruates. Climacteric is the general term for the time from the period of this transition to the early postmenopausal phase of a woman’s reproductive life cycle. Perimenopause refers to the time before menopause when vasomotor symptoms and irregular menses often commence. Menopause, by definition, begins 12 months after the final menses and is characterized by a continuation of vasomotor symptoms and by urogenital symptoms such as vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. | | |
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Osteoporosis is defined as a progressive systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD), deterioration of the microarchitecture of bone tissue, and susceptibility to fracture. A recent consensus conference defined osteoporosis as "a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength predisposing to an increased risk of fracture." Involutional osteoporosis develops from excessive age-related bone loss. Most consider that this phenotype is an excessive expression of normal age-related changes in bone. | | |
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Ovarian insufficiency is a failure of the ovary to function normally in a patient younger than 40 years, in its role either as an endocrine organ or as a reproductive organ. In patients aged 40 years or older, the expected physiologic decline of ovarian function that takes place with aging is termed perimenopause or the menopausal transition. | | |
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Aging is associated with a decline in the number of ovarian follicles, menstrual irregularities, ovarian hormonal deficiency, anovulation, decreased fertility, and, finally, a complete and irreversible cessation of menses known as menopause, usually occurring at a mean age of 51 years. POF, also known as premature ovarian failure, premature menopause, or early menopause, is a condition characterized by amenorrhea, hypoestrogenism, and elevated serum gonadotropin levels in women younger than 40 years. Although often used as synonyms, POF is not equivalent to menopause. Most women with POF retain intermittent ovarian function for many years, and, unlike women who are menopausal, pregnancies may occur.
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