Menopause represents the irreversible cessation of ovarian function – the final cessation of menstruation and the inability to conceive. It is not a disease, but a part of the aging process in women. Aging is associated with many changes in the reproductive system. They reduce the ability of the ovaries to produce hormones and release eggs suitable for fertilization. This ultimately leads to the inability to conceive and give birth. The woman stops menstruating. The diagnosis of menopause is retrospective. In order to confirm its occurrence, the woman must have missed menstruation for 12 consecutive months (in the absence of other reasons – pregnancy, medication intake, etc.). The average age of onset of menopause is 50 – 51 years. Usually, this period in a woman’s life lasts on average for up to 7 years worldwide. However, scientists now warn that menopause can last twice as long – up to about 14 years. NEWS_MORE_BOX This is according to a study among nearly 2,000 women from seven American cities in the period from 1996 to 2014. It was conducted by a team at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, in North Carolina. Specialists advise ladies to prepare mentally and physically for the unpleasant and rather severe symptoms of menopause. The most common complaints of women during premenopause are insomnia, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, arrhythmia and night sweats. However, they and those around them define mental changes as the most unpleasant – causeless and rapid mood swings, falling into depressions. There are also complaints of abdominal distension, bowel rumbling. Thinning of the hair to visible bald spots on the head, decrease in libido is also characteristic of this period. Some of the women develop the climacteric syndrome, in which the listed complaints are highly expressed. Then it is mandatory to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist, who will prescribe hormone replacement therapy that relieves these symptoms. In this period, the exacerbation of many chronic diseases, for example cardiovascular, endocrine, joint and psychosis, is possible, the scientists point out.