Natural Menopause is a process wherein the ovaries over a period of time naturally decrease the production of sex hormones including progesterone and estrogen. A woman is said to be going through natural menopause when the menstrual periods stop for a consecutive period of 12 months and there is no other physiological or biological cause that can be held responsible for this.

Natural menopause symptoms are experienced over a period of time as against induced or surgical menopause where the symptoms are experienced suddenly. Women can normally tell if they are approaching their menopause because changes occur in the menstrual cycle. This period where changes happen in the menstrual cycle is called menopause transition or perimenopause. Such changes or menopause transition starts a few years before the actual menopause.

In this period the hormones produced by ovaries fluctuate and this can result in irregularity in the menstrual cycle. Such an irregularity can be in the duration of the period, the time when the periods are experienced and the extent of bleeding. With the fluctuating hormones women also tend to experience hot flashes wherein a sudden warm feeling along with bushing is experienced.

Some other changes that occur with natural menopause also include mood swings, night sweats, and dryness in the vagina and fluctuations in the sexual desire. This may be accompanied by insomnia and trouble in sleeping and also forgetfulness. The average age for natural menopause is 51. It is important to understand that the symptoms of menopause are completely natural and it is not an illness.

Natural menopause causes decline in the levels of estrogen in the woman and this can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems in women. To reduce the possibility of cardiovascular problems women should avoid smoking and ensure that they eat nutritious food and exercise regularly. Bone density also tends to decrease following menopause and so women may develop osteoporosis. In this case it is advisable to take vitamins and calcium.

Many women also tend to experience possible vaginal or urinary infection along with problems of urinary incontinence. Sexual intercourse may also become quite painful. Many women also experience sweating and tend to have a flushed appearance. Also many women tend to put on considerable amount of weight and this weight usually is seen around the abdomen and the waist regions. Wrinkles and adult acne can also be observed during the course natural menopause. It is advisable to talk to the doctor about the hot flashes and irregularity of periods. Some therapies can help in alleviating the symptoms.