Menopause- a Significant Pause

The term menopause refers to the permanent cessation of the monthly menstrual cycles in women. It is a physiological stage some where during the mid-life of a woman which witnesses termination of her entire reproductive functioning. The shutting off of the monthly cycle is the meaningful indicator of the ovaries having gone dysfunctional and that they will no longer produce eggs referred to as oocytes from then on. This simply means no more hassles associated with monthly periods and pregnancy any more. Mammalian ovaries are endocrine glands which under the influence of the Releasing Hormones (RH) of the hypothalamus produces significant female hormones namely the progesterone, estrogen and small amounts of androgens. Hormones are the elixer to well being and vitality in woman besides of course her capability to become a mother. With passing years the normal role of the ovaries undergo a state of disarray, and soon disorderliness sets in causing these hormones to initially fluctuate, then gradually diminish and finally disappear. With this withdrawal the ovaries that work on the support system provided by the hormones now shrink and wither away. Interestingly the transplantation of healthy ovarian tissues onto the failed one leads to the restoration of fertility as well. Read more »