There are three (3) stages of menopause. Menopause itself marks the point in time at which - after a period of consecutive 12 months without period - a women is considered to have left her reproductive years. Menopause is accompanied by a steep decline of reproductive hormone levels, specifically estrogen and progesterone. Peri-menopause and post-menopause, in turn, mark the years before and after menopause, respectively. 

• Peri-menopause: This period of time can extend of as many as 10 years. It usually starts when a women is in her 40s. During this time, female reproductive hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, slowly begin to dip. This often leads to less regular and more infrequent menstrual cycles, a trend which gets more pronounced as menopause approaches. During peri-menopausal years, fertility levels go down, though some women may still be able to conceive and carry out a pregnancy. Some women already start experiencing menopausal symptoms - such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings - during peri-menopause. 

• Menopause: After 12 months without period, a women is considered menopausal. By this time, the ovaries no longer release eggs and as a result, estrogen and progesterone levels have dropped significantly. Many women at this point have developed symptoms of menopause and started treatment. 

• Post-menopause: During the time after menopause, women are considered to be post-menopausal. This stage technically lasts for the rest of life, though menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings) typically improve the longer a woman has been past menopause. At this point, other health concerns often take over. These include an increased risk for osteoporosis (bone brittleness), cardiovascular disease or obesity, all of which are affected by decreased hormone levels, especially estrogen.