Menopause is a stage of every woman's life that comes with unprecedented worries and uncertainties. When we talk about this stage of life, the only certain and general fact is that every woman, at one time or the other, will definitely experience her share of this 'headache'. Perhaps, that's about how far the certainty goes. Every other aspect of this all-important stage of life is almost completely shrouded in mystery and uncertainties.

Obviously, it would not be an over-statement to assert that no single woman can be sure of when and what her menopausal experience will be like. For every woman the experience varies. It could be a smooth or harrowing experience. It could set in as early as 45yrs or as late as 55yrs. The period could be a long painful experience or just a short 'bumpy ride', you never can tell. The best bet is always to be as prepared as you can, and not be caught napping when it sets in. The best part of every preparation, however, is knowledge. The more you know about this important stage of life, the better prepared for the uncertainties to come, you are. In this regard, a clear understanding of the tell-tale signs that predict and characterize the onset of menopause, will be quite handy.

However, to clearly understand the signs of menopause, it is paramount to have a grasp of the basic biological process underlying menstruation and eventually, menopause. At birth, each female possesses approximately one-half million 'eggs' in the reproductive system. With each menstruation, from puberty, an egg is lost. With increasing age and menstruation, the 'eggs' in stock for further menstruation dwindle. This probably explains why early onset of puberty (and thus menstruation) predisposes to early menopause. The pre-menopausal stage, when you start experiencing scanty menstruation or menstruation without ovulation (annovulatory cycles) occurs when the egg left in the reproductive system have become scarce and insufficient for regular menstruation.

The female hormones too play important roles in this menstrual chemistry. In a healthy woman's menstrual cycle, estrogen is the dominant hormone produced for the first ten to twelve days of the menstrual cycle. Ovulation, at mid cycle stimulates the production of progesterone, which becomes dominant for the other half of the menstrual cycle and also sustains pregnancy for the first three months, if it does occur. However, if there is no fertilization, hence pregnancy, progesterone and estrogen levels fall around the 28th day, depending on the woman's cycle, and allow menstruation to occur. Anything that affects this complex inter-play of hormones could cause problems with menstruation that sometimes mimic menopause.

Now that we have a basic understanding of the menstrual process, let's take a look at the signs that warn of impending menopause or that characterizes this stage of life. As explained in the previous paragraph, estrogen dominates before ovulation, while progesterone takes over after ovulation. But with approaching menopause, annovulatory cycles become common. Without ovulation, progesterone is not produced in the body for that month, allowing estrogen a free ride. With continuous annovulatory cycles, the hormonal difference between these two hormones widens. The increasing dominance of estrogen and the hormonal imbalance created is largely responsible for the first signs of menopause. This condition is referred to as estrogen 'dominance' and the signs to watch out for, includes:

- Low sex drive - Mood swings  - Excessive menstrual buildup  - Headache before menstrual period  - Bloating and weight gain.
Some of these signs, however, could be as a result of stress and tension build up in the body, especially when they occur in women still in their 30s or early 40s.  However, several other signs that could definitely warn of approaching menopause include:
- Foggy brain or thinking with memory lapses - Insomnia (problems with sleeping)  - Light or heavy menstrual flow when menstruation does occur  - Hot flashes which can last as long as 5mins, occurring several times a day  - Vaginal dryness  - Lumpy or tender breast  - Water retention / bloating  - Weight gain  - Endometriosis  - Abnormal hair growth  - Anxiety and depression