Your periods stop and it's no longer possible, in the usual way, to get pregnant. Menopause may occur as early as 35, or as late as 60. There are no hard and fast rules. But most women will stop menstruating in their mid forties to early fifties. A few women simply stop having periods, but this is rare.
Most women start to get signs of menopause many months before it actually happens.
The first sign is often a change in your menstrual cycle. Your periods may become irregular or less frequent, or they may become longer or shorter. Sometimes there is a gap of months between the last few periods. During this time it is possible to become pregnant so, to be safe, do not abandon contraception until you have not had a period for at least two years. Estrogen not only regulates reproduction but it also affects your body temperature, mood and bones and ligaments.