ABSTRACT
The word “menopause” literally means cessation of the monthly cycles. In industrialised
societies, on average, the final menstrual period occurs between ages 50 and 51. In the
medical world, menopause is defined retrospectively by 12 months of absence of men-
strual bleeding without identifiable medical reasons (World Health Organisation, 1996).
The lead up to menopause, referred to as perimenopause, typically spans several years
and begins in mid-forties. The transition is only considered “abnormal” or “premature” if
it occurs before the age of 40. To lay people, menopause is generally referred to as
“change of life” or “the change”, an imprecise but culturally shared concept that denotes
midlife, aging and the gradual end to fertility potential in a woman.
