Ask The Expert: I've heard many people say that women will typically enter menopause at approximately the same age that their mother did. Is this true or just a wives tale? Are there other factors that determine when a woman enters menopause?

Spread the love

asktheexpert-33435_140x140 Q: I’ve heard many people say that women will typically enter menopause at approximately the same age that their mother did. Is this true or just a wives tale? Are there other factors that determine when a woman enters menopause?

A: The average age of menopause is 51. The age that a woman enters menopause does tend to be genetically determined and can generally be expected around the time that her mother went through menopause. There are some other factors that tend to make a woman go through menopause earlier, such as smoking, previous chemotherapy or radiation treatments and surgery on her ovaries. Also, a woman who has had a hysterectomy, even if she retains her ovaries, often enters menopause earlier.