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Actor and women's health activist Halle Berry joins senators as they introduce new legislation to boost federal research on menopause, at the Capitol in Washington, May 2, 2024. (AP)
Fact-checking the Pants on Fire! claim that ‘there’s no such thing as menopause’
What causes menopause?
"Estrogen receptors are present throughout the body, from head to toe. When an individual undergoes menopause, estrogen levels plummet dramatically," Javaid said. "It is now well understood that the reduction in estrogen can lead to significant symptoms, and to deny this reality is both irresponsible and dismissive of the profound impact it has on an individual's health and well-being."
That process doesn’t happen overnight. The clinical terms for the time leading up to menopause are "perimenopause" or "menopausal transition," although people commonly refer to this period as when someone is "going through menopause." That transitionary period typically begins between ages 45 and 55, the National Institute on Aging said. Johns Hopkins said perimenopause lasts about four years on average.
The average age of menopause — which is reached 12 months after a final period — in the U.S. is about 51 years old, according to Mayo Clinic. For women worldwide, the World Health Organization said natural menopause occurs "generally between 45 and 55 years."
Naturally occurring menopause isn’t even the only kind: Some people might experience something called induced menopause, which is caused by a surgery or medical treatment.
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How do you know when it’s happening?
Menopause symptoms include irregular periods, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, night sweats and mood changes, according to medical research and health organizations.
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"As a general rule, one-third of women will transition into menopause with only mild symptoms or none at all," Dr. Katie Lessman, an OB-GYN, told Nebraska Medicine in 2022. "Another third will experience bothersome symptoms for a few years. The final third will have symptoms that improve but never go away."
Menopause exists and this Facebook post made a ridiculous claim. We rate it Pants on Fire!
Our Sources
Facebook post, Aug. 25, 2024
Email interview with Dr. Somi Javaid, an OB-GYN and member of the advocacy organization Let’s Talk Menopause’s medical advisory board, Aug. 30, 2024
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, The Menopause Years, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
National Institute on Aging, What Is Menopause? accessed Aug. 30, 2024
Cleveland Clinic, Menopause, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Introduction to Menopause, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
World Health Organization, Menopause, Oct. 17, 2022
Mayo Clinic, Menopause, Aug. 30, 2024
Nebraska Medicine, Understanding menopause: 4 common symptoms and how to treat them, Sept. 8, 2022
The North American Menopause Society, Menopause FAQs: Premature, Early, and Induced Menopause, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Perimenopause, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
Let’s Talk Menopause, Our Mission, accessed Aug. 30, 2024
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Fact-checking the Pants on Fire! claim that ‘there’s no such thing as menopause’
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