Is There a Way to Postpone Menopause?

Women start puberty with 60,000 to 80,000 follicles in the ovaries. A normal menstrual cycle starts in anticipation of a pregnancy with follicles starting to develop in the ovaries along with the uterine lining starting to develop in the uterus. Eventually, one of the developing follicles matures and ovulates and the uterine lining gets ready for pregnancy. In absence of a pregnancy, the uterine lining, which is no longer required, is shed, resulting in a menstrual period. 

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This cycle goes on month on month, till the ovaries exhaust their supply of follicles.

With no more follicles in the ovaries left to develop and ovulate, the menstrual cycle slows down, becomes irregular and finally stops- which is termed as menopause. 

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When a woman stops menstruating for 12 consecutive months, she is said to have reached menopause. This normally happens between 42 to 54 years of age. Since there is no way for the primary ovarian follicles to regenerate after menopause, there is no way that we can postpone, delay or reverse menopause.

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While it is possible to externally supply hormones in the form of hormone replacement therapy in cases of premature menopause, or menopausal hormone therapy in cases of troublesome symptoms of a normally timed menopause, there is no way in which the ovarian follicles can be revived. 

So while a woman may continue to have periods in the form of withdrawal bleeding every month after finishing one packet of hormonal pills, these periods are unable to result in a pregnancy in absence of ovarian follicles. 

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If you have concerns about menopause or its symptoms, it's best to consult with a healthcare provider who can provide personalized advice and guidance based on your specific situation.

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