What is the Origin of Menopause Timing?

The term is fundamental to reproductive endocrinology and gynecology, describing a major, irreversible transition in the female life cycle. Its etymology is from the Greek words men (month) and pausis (cessation). The clinical focus on "timing" reflects the epidemiological data linking the age of menopause onset to overall healthspan.

What is the Mechanism of Menopause Timing?

Menopause timing is fundamentally determined by the depletion rate of the ovarian follicular reserve, which is largely genetically predetermined but also influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors. As the reserve declines, the ovaries become refractory to gonadotropins (FSH and LH), leading to a drastic reduction in estrogen and progesterone production. This hormonal withdrawal drives the associated systemic and symptomatic changes.

Menopause Timing ∞ Area

Menopause Timing

Meaning

The specific chronological age at which a woman experiences the final cessation of menstrual periods, marking the permanent end of reproductive capacity due to the loss of ovarian follicular function. This timing is a significant clinical biomarker, as both early and late menopause are associated with distinct long-term health risks, including cardiovascular and skeletal changes. Understanding and potentially modulating the factors that influence this timing is a focus in female hormonal health and longevity. It is defined retrospectively after twelve consecutive months of amenorrhea.