Extracts from "Clinical Evidence": Menopausal symptoms

Menopause begins one year after the last menstrual period. Symptoms often begin in the perimenopausal years. INCIDENCE/PREVALENCE: In the United Kingdom the mean age for the menopause is 50 years 9 months. The median onset of the perimenopause is between 45.5 and 47.5 years. One Scottish survey (of 6096 women aged 45 to 54 years) found that 84% had experienced at least one of the classic menopausal symptoms, with 45% finding one or more symptoms a problem. AETIOLOGY/RISK FACTORS: Urogenital symptoms of menopause are caused by decreased oestrogen concentrations, but the cause of vasomotor symptoms and psychological effects is complex and remains unclear.