The First Signs & Symptoms of Menopause

Menopause and all its stages are not an illness, but a natural process in a woman's body. The first signs and symptoms of menopause are just indicators of changes, which occur in the relationship between the ovarian hormones and those produced by the pituitary gland.

In the time of late premenopause and at the beginning of perimenopause the ovaries become less responsive to stimulation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), causing a decline in the amount of estrogen secreted in a woman's ovaries.

As shown in the diagram above, estrogen levels drop dramatically during perimenopause. The decline of estrogen results in a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body and causes the first menopause signs and symptoms. These changes can be quite different on an individual basis, but most women will experience the first signs and symptoms of menopause in a more severe fashion during this period in her life. Estrogen levels will not recover in postmenopause. Estrogen levels will not recover in postmenopause, thus raising new health concerns or continuing to cause menopause symptoms, including:

Menopausal signs and symptoms affect about 70% of women approaching menopause. Almost all women notice their first symptoms while still having periods. These first signs and symptoms of menopause usually last for the whole menopause transition (untill the mid 50's), but some women may experience them for the rest of their life. The most common and first menopause signs and symptoms are hot Flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats and loss of libido.