Research indicates that each child you bear will delay the onset of menopause by about five months. White women go through menopause earlier than black women. A hysterectomy or tubal ligation can bring on menopause several years earlier than would normally be expected. If you had your first child after 40, menopause will be later than average. Medically-induced menopause , brought on by the removal of both ovaries or medical procedures that interfer with ovarian function, can occur at any age.
Every woman is different.
Some women experience only mild symptoms or none at all. Others struggle with hot flashes and other symptoms that last for years. On average, you can expect some of the more bothersome symptoms, like hot flashes, to last from three to five years. Menopause is officially over when you haven't had a period for 12 consecutive months. High blood levels of this hormone are a sign that you are approaching or have gone through menopause.