If your mother was 50, you most likely will be about fifty. Some women dread it's onset, while others look forward to it. Menopause is defined as the end of menstrual periods, which occurs because the ovaries decrease their production of estrogen. Symptoms,however, can begin a full five years or more before periods cease. This puts you at increased risk for fractures.
Some women are more susceptible to osteoporosis than others.
Poor diet, certain medications, heredity, lack of proper calcium, and lack of exercise increase your risk. This is the number one killer of women in the United States. Decreased estrogen can increase your risk of heart attack. This can be in the form of pills, patches, and vaginal creams. These are the same hormones that your body used to produce.