What is Average Age of Menopause?

The average age of menopause varies among women. When a girlfriend comes to you and says that she has been having irregular periods, hot flashes and mood swings, does the idea of menopause enter your mind? Does your friend, in her early forties, think she's too young of an age for menopause? Somewhere between 40 and 58, most women will start to experience some symptoms of menopause. The average age is 51 but for smokers, it can be slightly earlier.

If you are not yet 40 and have begun experiencing symptoms, you could be experiencing perimenopause. In some cases it might only be temporary menopause if you've recently experienced a dramatic weight loss, have an eating disorder, too much stress in your life or exercise excessively. Your periods could resume when your lifestyle becomes healthier, if health is an issue. Perimenopause can occur as early as 27 and you might experience the same symptoms as everyone else, depending on your genetics and other factors, including hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods and vaginal dryness.

If you are younger than 45, it may seem early but not necessarily uncommon. It doesn't mean that your perimenopause symptoms will end any earlier, only that they started sooner than you thought. There are basic menopausal symptoms, yet every woman will experience this time in their life in their own ways. In Japan, perhaps because of their different diet, women are not as affected by menopause.

The average age of menopause can be influenced by other factors, as well. There are some women whose bodies experience induced menopause because of certain diseases and their form of treatment. Chemotherapy, pelvic radiation, and surgery can force a woman's body into menopause. Younger women have a better chance of resuming their periods, but that doesn't happen in every case. If this is something that effects you, be sure to ask your doctor about what you can do to make yourself more comfortable.