A woman is born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. The ovaries also produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone which regulate menstruation and ovulation. Menopause occurs when the ovaries no longer releases eggs. The woman stops menstruating, marking the end of her reproductive period. Natural menopause occurs between 40 and 60 years of age but this varies from woman to woman. The median age is 51 years. Developed countries tend to have late menopause the average age being 55. And in least developed countries, the median age is 44.
Prolonged periods can be brought about by a number of factors:
The most common cause is a change in the hormonal levels. Other causes may include; Cancer of the Uterus, thickening/build up of the Uterus walls, Uterine fibroids, medical conditions, pregnancy complications, change in birth control pills, use of an IUD for birth control, use of certain drugs such as steroids, recent surgery or other uterine procedure, infection in the uterus and stress.
