Menopause, climacteric and premature ovarian failure

The menopause represents the cessation of female reproductive potential and is marked by the absence of menstruation. It occurs at an average age of 51 years, which when compared with other non-human primates is unusually early in the lifespan. Oestrogen deficiency results from menopausal ovarian failure and the short- and long-term consequences of this lack affect many organ systems. At the turn of the last century, life expectancy for the average woman in the UK was 48 years. With worldwide increasing life expectancy, now at 68 years (and 80 years at birth in England and Wales), the number of women undergoing the menopause and its consequences in terms of bone, brain, cardiovascular and urogenital ageing is greater than ever before and the personal social and economic consequences of ignoring these demographic changes are immense.