Menopause age: when does it start?

The average age of menopause is 52 in the United States and 51 in the UK. In SWAN, a large US study, the median age at natural menopause was 51.4. Most women reach menopause somewhere between 45 and 55.

Menopause, the point 12 months after your last period, usually comes between 45 and 55. The transition leading up to it, perimenopause, usually starts in the mid- to late 40s and lasts about four years on average, so symptoms like irregular periods and hot flashes often begin several years before menopause itself.

Between 45 and 55 for most women, and up to about 58 for some. Menopause at 40 to 44 is early, before 40 is premature, and at 55 or later is late. All of these happen naturally, but early and premature menopause need medical attention because of the longer-term effects on bone and heart health.

52, according to the US Office on Women's Health, with a usual range of 45 to 58. SWAN, which studied 14,620 women at seven US centers, found a median of 51.4. Japanese American women tended to reach menopause later.

Menopause at 55 or older counts as late. The usual range in the US reaches about 58, and some women have occasional periods into their late 50s. If you still have bleeding after 55, it's worth mentioning to your doctor, because late menopause is linked with a higher risk of uterine cancer.

Menopause doesn't end: once you've gone 12 months without a period, you're postmenopausal for life. Symptoms do end for most women, usually after 7 to 9 years in total. But in an Australian study, 6.5% of women aged 60 to 65 still had moderate to severe hot flashes.

Yes. Every woman who lives long enough goes through menopause, either naturally or because of surgery or cancer treatment. If both ovaries are removed, menopause starts straight away. If you've had a hysterectomy but kept your ovaries, you won't have periods, but you'll still go through menopause, possibly a year or two earlier.

Yes. Menopause at 40 to 44 is called early menopause and happened to 7.3% of women in a pooled analysis of 17 studies. Before 40 it's premature menopause. Both can happen naturally or after surgery or cancer treatment, and doctors usually recommend hormone treatment until at least the average age of menopause.

Not necessarily. The NHS lists starting periods early as one factor that makes early or premature menopause more likely. But a twin study found no correlation between age at first period and age at menopause, suggesting different genes control the two. Family history and smoking are stronger clues.

In SWAN, women who had used the pill reached natural menopause slightly later, but the pill doesn't stop menopause from happening. While you're on combined hormonal contraception, the monthly bleeds can hide menopause, so you may not know exactly when it happened. Contraception can be stopped at 55.

Symptoms follow your stage more than your age. In the early transition, often in your 40s, cycles change and sleep and mood problems start. In the late transition and first years after the final period, hot flashes peak. Vaginal dryness and urinary symptoms tend to build up in the years after menopause.