Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the transitional phase prior to natural menopause usually beginning three to five years prior to a woman's final menstrual period. Fluctuations in hormone levels commonly characterize this phase.

Induced Menopause
Every year, approximately 600,000 women in the U.S. have hysterectomies - and each one of these women has questions, as do their husbands, boyfriends, children and friends. Learn about how surgery and other medical medical causes can induce menopause.

Menopause
Menopause is the point in a woman's life when menstruation stops permanently, signifying the end of fertility. It is considered to have occurred when a woman has been without her menstrual period for 1 year; on average this occurs at about age 50.

Postmenopause

Postmenopause is the stage in a woman’s life that follows menopause.  Hormone production further decreases leading to bone loss and the risk of heart disease.  Approximately 36 million American women will live more than one-third of their lives beyond the onset of menopause.

Menopause Tales
Do you ever feel like you're the only one going through menopause?  The following stories are from Red Hot Mamas website readers and members.  Scroll through menopause tales and and see how other women view and manage their bodies as they experience the change.