“Menopause is a point in time when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. The time leading up to menopause is called perimenopause. This is when a lot of women or people assigned female at birth (AFAB) start to transition to menopause. They may notice changes in their menstrual cycles or have symptoms like hot flashes.  Natural menopause is the permanent ending of menstruation that doesn’t happen because of any type of medical treatment. The process is gradual and happens in 3 stages.  The average age of menopause in the United States is approximately 51 years old. However, the transition to menopause usually begins in your mid-40s.  “.

Cleveland Clinic (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause)