How Long Do Menopausal Symptoms Last?

Menopause, and the time leading up to it, known as perimenopause, are unique and individual experiences. The perimenopause time, which is when the symptoms are most noticeable, may take up to 10 years to complete.

A woman is defined as having completed menopause when she has gone 1 year without any menstrual bleeding.

Significance

• Age 51 is considered the average for women having reached or completed menopause.

Symptoms

• Classic symptoms of perimenopause include irregular periods, either extremely short or long cycles, accompanied by light or heavy bleeding. A woman may skip entire months, or go for several successive months without a period thinking she has reached menopause, only to have a menstrual period reset the 12-month clock.

Time Frame

• Menopause is typically reached between the ages of 40 and 58 for many women. Menopause symptoms can start in the 30s, but are more pronounced in a woman's 40s.

Identification

• Blood tests to check hormone levels, especially estrogen and progesterone, in addition to the cessation of the menstrual cycle for 1 year, will confirm if a woman has entered menopause.

Benefits

• A women who has completed menopause no longer needs to be concerned about becoming pregnant or bearing children.