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What Is Menopause? An Overview of Physiological Changes

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Skin, Mucosa and Menopause

Abstract

Reproductive aging in women is a continuous process that begins prior to birth and extends through the menopausal transition. The theory that menopause is triggered primarily by ovarian aging is supported by the coincident occurrence of follicular depletion, elevated gonadotrophin levels, and subsequent menstrual irregularity with ultimate cessation of bleeding. The aim of this chapter is to present a systematic overview of physiological and endocrinological changes surrounding menopause, as well as to provide the most recent definition of stages of reproductive aging including menopause, menopause transition, and perimenopause.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, “Aretaieion” University Hospital of Athens’ Medical School, 121, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, Athens, Gr-11521, Greece

    Aikaterini E. Deliveliotou MD, PhD

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  1. Aikaterini E. Deliveliotou MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Aikaterini E. Deliveliotou MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Miranda A. Farage

  2. Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Kenneth W. Miller

  3. School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Nancy Fugate Woods

  4. Department of Dermatology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA

    Howard I. Maibach

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Deliveliotou, A.E. (2015). What Is Menopause? An Overview of Physiological Changes. In: Farage, M., Miller, K., Fugate Woods, N., Maibach, H. (eds) Skin, Mucosa and Menopause. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44080-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44080-3_1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-44080-3

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