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Menopause

Meaning

Menopause is the definitive clinical event marking the cessation of menstrual cycles, formally diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without menses, signifying the permanent loss of ovarian follicular activity. This transition is characterized by a substantial decline in circulating estradiol and progesterone, leading to significant shifts in metabolic and thermoregulatory physiology. Understanding this phase is crucial because the resulting hormonal milieu impacts bone density, cardiovascular risk, and cognitive function. It represents a profound endocrine system reorganization.