Postmenopause is the name given to the period of time after a woman has not had a menstrual cycle for an entire year. During this stage, menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, may ease for many women. However, some women continue to experience menopausal symptoms for a long time after the menopause transition. The major indication that a woman has entered postmenopause is her low estrogen and progesterone levels. Measurement of these two hormones is important since women are at increased risk for a number of health conditions that result from low hormone levels. Postmenopausal women are at increased risk for conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease. Medication, such as hormone therapy and/ or healthy lifestyle changes, may reduce the risk of some of these conditions.
