Menopause & perimenopause
Is there any way to predict when I’ll go through menopause?
It is difficult to predict when a woman will go through menopause. The best predictors we currently have are our mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins. There is a good chance that you will have your last menstrual period at about the same age your mother did. However, there are always exceptions to this gauge.
Some of the factors that can bring on menopause sooner include surgical removal of your ovaries or disruption of the blood supply to your ovaries from surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or certain medications.
There is also a small population of women who go through early menopause — menopause that occurs in their 30’s or early 40’s. This is sometimes called premature menopause or premature ovarian failure (POF), and can arise due to an autoimmune disorder, chronic stress, or nutritional deficiencies. (For more information, see our article on POF.
You can help balance your hormones for a healthy menopausal transition by instituting a core foundation of good nutrition, taking a high-grade multivitamin/mineral complex to fill in any gaps, getting regular exercise, and keeping your stress levels down. This will allow you to enter menopause in a state of health at the time Mother Nature intended as “just right” for you.
Return to:
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
We’re always happy to welcome new patients to our medical clinic in Yarmouth, Maine, for those who can make the trip. Click here for information about making an appointment.
Original Publication Date: 2/23/2007
Last Modified: 05/01/2008
Principal Author: Marcy Holmes, NP, Certified Menopause Clinician