Menarche and menopause are the biggest milestones in a woman’s life. These milestones mark the start and end of female reproductive life respectively [1, 2]. These stages of life are universal and every woman goes through these. Some important features of menarche and menopause are described in the text below.

MENARCHE:

What is Menarche?

It is the beginning of the female reproductive cycle. Every girl gets her first menstrual period at a different age. The average age of menarche is between 10 to 16 years [3]. Sometimes, the onset of puberty is unusually early followed by other signs of puberty. The age of menarche varies with a number of different factors such as:

• Genetics
• Environment
• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Race
• Psychological factors
• Overall health

Menarche does not mean you are fertile because the first few menstrual cycles are anovulatory and last longer than the normal cycle. It marks the beginning of a new phase of life. Development of secondary sexual characteristics begins right after menarche. The first menstrual period is usually without cramping and occurs without any warning.

Reasons for Delayed Menarche:

Some diseases and chronic illnesses may delay the onset of puberty. These diseases include diabetes, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, asthma, various inflammatory disease, and many more. Diagnosis of these diseases is necessary to know the underlying cause of delayed puberty.

 

MENOPAUSE:

What is Menopause?

Menopause marks an end to a woman’s reproductive life. After this, a female is no longer able to produce offsprings [4]. It is a natural process. A woman is said to have reached menopause if she has not had periods for a year.

 

Age of Menopause:

Age of the menopause varies owing to many reasons. However, the average age of menopause for most of the women is 51, ranging from 45 to 55 years. Following are the factors which might affect the age of menopause [5]:

• Age at menarche
• Overall health
• Number of pregnancies
• Use of oral contraceptives
• Gestational age
• Body mass index
• Tobacco smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Physical activity
• Nutritional status
• Unilateral oophorectomy

 

What Causes Menopause?

Every girl is born with a fixed number of ova in her ovaries. Estrogen and progesterone are 2 sex hormones that are needed for the normal development and release of an ovum from the ovary. Menopause occurs when the ovaries stop producing sex hormones. These hormones are essential for normal reproductive life. Once it stops, a woman is no longer fertile.

 

What are the Symptoms of Menopause?

The symptoms of menopause generally start appearing several years earlier than the age of menopause. Following are some common signs and symptoms of menopause [6]:

• A change in the normal menstrual cycle with a longer period between 2 cycles
• Hot flushes
• Mood swings
• Hair loss from the head
• Increased hair growth on the face
• Difficulty in focusing
• Trouble sleeping
• Vaginal dryness
• Chills
• Weight gain
• Loss of breast fulness
• Slowing of the metabolism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18063486/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470216/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12319855/#:~:text=Menarche%20is%20one%20of%20the,most%20girls%20in%20developed%20countries.
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507826/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28913040/#:~:text=Studies%20have%20shown%20many%20factors,activity%2C%20unilateral%20oophorectomy%2C%20serum%20lead
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890704/

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