What does postmenopausal mean?
Postmenopausal is an adjective meaning relating to or occurring after menopause. Menopause is the permanent end of menstrual periods, typically occurring in middle age, and the postmenopausal period may involve changes in hormones, bone density, cardiovascular risk, and symptoms such as hot flushes. The word is common in medicine and health care, especially in discussions of osteoporosis, hormone therapy, and long-term health maintenance. It is also used more generally to describe people or life stages after menstruation has ended. The term is distinct from postmenopausal as a noun, although that use is less common. It should not be used to refer to the process of menstruation itself or to the years before menopause.
adjectiveRelating to or occurring after menopause, the permanent cessation of menstrual periods. It commonly describes health conditions, symptoms, or life stages associated with the period after menopause.
- Relating to or occurring after menopause.
- Characterizing a person who is after menopause.
"The clinic provides specialized care for postmenopausal women experiencing osteoporosis."
"Postmenopausal bone loss can increase the risk of fractures."
"The article discusses the long-term effects of postmenopausal hormone therapy."
Postmenopausal is a precise medical term for the stage of life after menstruation ends, a transition associated with important changes in reproductive and bone health.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does postmenopausal come from?
The word is formed from the prefix post-, meaning “after,” and menopausal, which comes from menopause. Menopause combines the Latin prefix meno-, related to mensis, “month,” with the Greek pausis, meaning “stop” or “cessation.” The resulting terms have long been used in medicine for the cessation of menstruation and for changes associated with that process.
How postmenopausal is actually used
This is a medical and health-care term used in both clinical and general contexts. It refers to the period after menopause and is often used in relation to hormone therapy, osteoporosis, cardiovascular health, and symptoms such as hot flushes.