Is it better to go through menopause early or late?
Mia Kelly
Published Jan 19, 2026
While overall later menopause is probably healthier, it is associated with an elevated risk of developing breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. The average age for menopause is 51, and the women in this study were close to that number, with an average age at menopause of 50.5.
Is it good to be menopause early?
Women with early menopause have a long period of postmenopausal life, which means they are at increased risk of health problems such as early onset of osteoporosis and heart disease.
What age is considered late menopause?
If a woman is 55 or older and still hasn't begun menopause, doctors would consider it late-onset menopause. According to the Center for Menstrual Disorders and Reproductive Choice, the average age for menopause is 51.
Does early menopause shorten life expectancy?
Researchers found that total life expectancy at the age of 50 years was lower in women who had early menopause and higher in those with late menopause. The difference in life expectancy in women with typical and early menopause was 0.5 and 3.5 years, respectively, compared with women with late menopause.
What happens if you go through menopause too early?
Most women going through early or premature menopause cannot get pregnant. Stress, anxiety, and depression. These mood changes often result from infertility and other early menopause health issues. Bone loss (osteoporosis): Osteoporosis is caused by low estrogen levels and leaves women more at-risk of bone fractures.
35 related questions foundWhat are the 3 stages of menopause?
There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.
- Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. ...
- Menopause occurs when you've stopped producing the hormones that cause your menstrual period and have gone without a period for 12 months in a row.
What are the top 10 signs of menopause?
Symptoms
- Hot flashes.
- Chills.
- Night sweats.
- Sleep problems.
- Mood changes.
- Weight gain and slowed metabolism.
- Thinning hair and dry skin.
- Loss of breast fullness.
Does early menopause lower risk of cancers?
Breast cancer incidence decreased with an earlier age at menopause. Women with a menopausal age of 44 years or younger had a 34% lower risk of breast cancer, than women with a menopausal age over 54 years (hazard ratio is 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.43-0.91)).
What are the four stages of menopause?
4 Stages of Menopause
- Pre-Menopause Stage. During the pre-menopause stage of life, a woman is having her regular menstrual cycle, is in her prime childbearing years, and has no noticeable symptoms of menopause. ...
- Perimenopause Stage. ...
- Menopause Stage. ...
- Post-Menopause Stage. ...
- Menopause Treatment in Baton Rouge.
Is it healthy to have late menopause?
Even though women who reach menopause later are at a higher risk for breast, uterine and ovarian cancers, women who go through menopause late are at a lower risk for heart disease and stroke.
How do I know if I am going through the menopause?
The first sign of the menopause is usually a change in the normal pattern of your periods. You may start having either unusually light or heavy periods. The frequency of your periods may also be affected. You may have them every 2 or 3 weeks, or you may not have them for months at a time.
Is 43 too early for perimenopause?
Perimenopause can begin in some women in their 30s, but most often it starts in women ages 40 to 44. It is marked by changes in menstrual flow and in the length of the cycle. There may be sudden surges in estrogen.
What are the first signs of perimenopause?
What are the symptoms of perimenopause?
- Irregular periods or skipping periods.
- Periods that are heavier or lighter than usual.
- Hot flashes (a sudden feeling of warmth that spreads across your body).
- Vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex.
- Urinary urgency (needing to urinate more frequently).
Why do I have early menopause?
Causes of early menopause
Early menopause can happen naturally if a woman's ovaries stop making normal levels of certain hormones, particularly the hormone oestrogen. This is sometimes called premature ovarian failure, or primary ovarian insufficiency.
What's the difference between menopause and perimenopause?
Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause, and it's characterized by well-known symptoms like hot flashes, moodiness, and weight gain. Menopause is not diagnosed until you've gone 12 months without any period at all. Once you've passed through menopause, you're in postmenopause.
How old is the oldest woman to still have her period?
The median age at natural menopause was 50.9 yr. The oldest menstruating women were 57 yr old.
What is a menopause belly?
Changes in your body's hormones and rapidly shifting moods are common, and you may notice weight gain around your midsection. Some people refer to this symptom as “menopause belly.” Your body shape may change without weight gain, or you may gain weight that all seems to land around your midsection.
Will menopause make you gain weight?
The hormonal changes of menopause might make you more likely to gain weight around your abdomen than around your hips and thighs. But, hormonal changes alone don't necessarily cause menopause weight gain. Instead, the weight gain is usually related to aging, as well as lifestyle and genetic factors.
Does menopause age your face?
Your Skin and Menopause
Your body stops making as much collagen. You lose some fat under your skin and your skin's elasticity drops. That, combined with dryness caused by hormonal changes, can cause sagging -- especially around the neck, jawline, and cheeks -- and fine lines and wrinkles.
What are the first signs of perimenopause UK?
Perimenopause symptoms
- Hot flushes. This is the classic symptom of the menopause and worldwide, between 50% and 85% of women older than 45 years of age will experience them. ...
- Erratic periods. ...
- Mood swings. ...
- Sleeplessness and fatigue. ...
- Decreased libido and vaginal dryness. ...
- Urinary weakness. ...
- Night sweats.
How does your period change after 40?
Your period after 40
During your 40s, your ovaries slow their estrogen production, so your periods may get shorter and lighter, or come less frequently. Menopause occurs when your period stops completely for 12 consecutive months. For most women, this happens in their late 40s or early 50s.
Can menopause suddenly?
Symptoms of menopause may begin suddenly and be very noticeable, or they may be very mild at first. Symptoms may happen most of the time once they begin, or they may happen only once in a while. Some women notice changes in many areas.
What are the 34 signs of perimenopause?
Women in perimenopause have at least some these symptoms:
- Hot flashes.
- Breast tenderness.
- Worse premenstrual syndrome.
- Lower sex drive.
- Fatigue.
- Irregular periods.
- Vaginal dryness; discomfort during sex.
- Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing.
Can you predict menopause age?
Determining your menopause age
Examining your family history may be the most accurate way to help you predict when you might experience the change. You'll likely reach menopause around the same age as your mother and, if you have any, sisters.
Do breasts get bigger during perimenopause?
During perimenopause, the hormonal fluctuations are more dramatic. It is also common for breasts to get bigger or smaller or to change in shape during this period.