Human Growth and Development / Unit 13 HGD 1815 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Menopause
The idea
Menopause is the end of menstruation, defined as twelve months without a period; the average age in the United States is about fifty-one, and it usually falls between forty and sixty. Perimenopause, the transition, can begin two to eight years earlier, with irregular cycles and hot flashes. Falling estrogen raises the risk of osteoporosis.
In practice
A forty-eight-year-old with irregular periods and hot flashes: perimenopause, not yet menopause, which is confirmed only in hindsight.
Where people slip
The misconception is that menopause makes women depressed. Depression, irritability and weight gain are often associated with menopause but are not caused by it, and severe psychological symptoms are not typical. Some women report brain fog; sleep disruption and stress explain some complaints, and cognition returns toward baseline after menopause.
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