For More Information Menopause, which signals the end of a woman's childbearing years, is a normal stage in women's lives.
Women report a range of experiences, depending on their individual circumstances.
Here are some common myths about menopause, followed by the facts. Menopause is always a highly stressful and upsetting illness that causes suffering and requires medical treatment. Menopause usually occurs around age 50 in American women. Many might experience changes in their menstrual cycles for a few years before that. Hot flashes are a response to the change from higher to lower levels of estrogen in the body.