Trimester Reproductive Health
Your Pregnancy - Our Priority
The Menopause
WHY DOES MENOPAUSE HAPPEN?
The menopause is the term given when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally. Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop suddenly and there are many reasons why.
The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, as a womans oestrogen levels decline. In the UK, the average age to reach the menopause is 51.
However, around 1 in 100 women experience the menopause before 40 years of age. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.​ This impacts womens fertility and the chance of extending her family or becoming parent for the first time.
GETTING DIAGNOSED
We offer a whole range of blood tests to check your health, fertility and menopause status. Its a simple process, we either send a kit out to you for a home visit or you book an appointment at one of our partner centres.
Following analysis, our medically trained team will provide your results direct to you. This can be followed up by your GP or you can arrange an appointment with a private doctor to discuss further investigations or treatment options. Further advice and support can be sought from Menopause Support or The Menopause Charity.
Before you Book a Blood Test
You must tell us if you are currently taking any other medication that could affect your results.
The cause of premature ovarian failure is often unknown, but in some women, it may be caused by:
chromosome abnormalities – such as in women with Turner syndrome an autoimmune disease – where the immune system starts attacking body tissues
certain infections, such as tuberculosis, malaria and mumps – but this is very rare
Premature ovarian failure can sometimes run in families. This might be the case if any of your relatives went through the menopause at a very young age (20s or early 30s).
Please remember when booking a test: The contraceptive pill/HRT can affect the results of this test, consider taking the test when on a break from these to give more accurate results.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman's ovaries work and ultimately her fertility.
The 3 main features of PCOS are:
irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)
It's difficult to know exactly how many women have PCOS, but it's thought to be very common, affecting about 1 in every 10 women in the UK. More than half of these women do not have any signs or symptoms. PCOS symptoms usually become apparent during your late teens or early 20s. They may include:
irregular periods or no periods at all
difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation
excessive hair growth (hirsutism) – usually on the face, chest, back or buttocks
weight gain
thinning hair and hair loss from the head
oily skin or acne​
PCOS is also associated with an increased risk of developing health problems in later life, such as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol levels.
