Menopause

Officially menopause begins when a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs and she hasn’t had a period for 12 months.

The average age for this to occur in the UK is 51 years of age. The perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause and lasts for around five years.

During this time oestrogen and progesterone levels decline which may be accompanied by a variety of symptoms including hot flushes, heavy periods, fatigue, joint and muscle pains, vaginal dryness and loss of libido, weight gain, night sweats, irritability, forgetfulness and disturbances in sleeping patterns.