The female reproductive system, the cycles and the changes are something we are all familiar with but often there are a lot of words that might not be easy to understand. Here follows a brief explanation of some common concepts.
Let’s start from the beginning with the actual meaning of the word menopause. Menopause is derived from the Greek words pausis (“pause”) and mēn (“month”) literally meaning end of monthly cycles. You can also use the word climacteric (or in Swedish, “klimakteriet”) from Greek klimakterikos which means progression or gradation.
Menarche – is when you have your first period.
Pre-menopause is not actually a medically accepted word. All women who have started menstruating are premenopausal, pre meaning before.
Perimenopause – this is the period when fertility and hormones change in a major way. You cannot say an exact age for when this happens, but usually around the mid 40’s. It can last from two years to ten years. During this time the ovaries produce less and less estrogen until finally they stop. This is also the period most people refer to as “being in menopause”.
Menopause – this is just one day of your life – the one year anniversary of your last period. The day before you are perimenopausal, the day after you are postmenopausal. The average age for women in the western world for this day is 52.
Post-menopause – all the time after the day of the menopause.
Estrogen – the major female sex hormone responsible for the reproductive organs and cycle amongst much more. It is created in the follicles in the ovaries.
Luteinising hormone (lutropin or LH) – stimulates ovulation, a surge occurs about 24 hours before ovulation.
Progesterone – female sex hormone that amongst much more prepares the uterus for pregnancy and decreases the immune system in order for the body to accept a pregnancy.
FSH or follicle stimulating hormone – a hormone that stimulates the growth of follicles and makes them mature enough to create an egg that can be fertilized.
Menses phase – the first phase of the menstrual cycle, this is when you have your period.
Follicular phase – the phase of the menstrual cycle where (usually) one follicular matures and releases an egg. This phase usually last for 14 days.
Ovulation – when a mature egg is released from the follicle into the fallopian tubes.
Luteal phase – the last part of the menstrual cycle. If the egg is not fertilized the levels of progesterone decrease and trigger a new menses phase.