Average age of menopause: when it starts and what affects it

Name: Average age of menopause: when it starts and what affects it
Creator: MenoWoman

The average age of menopause is about 51 to 52 in the US, with similar figures in the UK, and most women reach it between 45 and 55. Worldwide studies give a lower average of about 49, with later ages in Europe, Australia and the US.^1,2,3

Researched by the MenoWoman team. Edited by Marcela Sat. Updated 7 November 2026. We may earn from links.

See a doctor if your periods stop for several months before age 45, or before 40, as this may be early menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.⁷ Very heavy bleeding, or any bleeding after 12 months without a period, also needs checking.⁶

What is the average age of menopause?

Menopause is your final period, confirmed after 12 months without one.⁴ The Menopause Society gives an average age of 51, with most women reaching it between 40 and 58.¹ The US National Institute on Aging gives 52.² Cleveland Clinic also says about 52.⁵

The World Health Organization says natural menopause usually happens between ages 45 and 55 worldwide.⁴ Averages in the UK and the rest of Europe are similar, and among the highest in the world.³

How menopause age differs around the world

A 2014 review pooled 36 studies from six continents. It found an overall average age of 48.8 years, with study averages ranging from 46 to 52.³

Women in Europe and Australia had the latest average ages, followed by the US. Averages were lower in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.³ The researchers note that studies differed a lot in methods, so these figures are a guide, not exact.³

Within countries, race, ethnicity, genes and lifestyle all play a part. The National Institute on Aging says Black women in the US are more likely to reach menopause earlier.²

What can make menopause earlier or later

Smoking: linked to menopause 1 to 2 years earlier.^6,1 The 2014 review found current smokers reached it about a year earlier, while ex-smokers did not differ from non-smokers.³
Family history: an early menopause in close relatives raises your chance of one.⁶
Surgery and cancer treatment: removing both ovaries causes immediate menopause. Chemotherapy and pelvic radiation can also bring it on.^2,6 A hysterectomy, or removal of one ovary, may also bring it earlier.⁶
Health conditions: thyroid disease and some autoimmune diseases are linked to earlier menopause.⁶
Education and job: in the review, women with more education or higher-level jobs reached menopause slightly later, by under a year.³

Evidence on weight and exercise is unclear.³

Menopause at 45, 50 and 55

Menopause at 45 is within the normal range, though at the early end.⁴ Menopause between 40 and 45 is classed as early.⁷ If yours comes before 45, ask a doctor whether you need treatment to protect your bones and heart.⁷

Menopause at 50 is very typical. It sits just below the US average of 51 to 52.^1,2

Menopause at 55 is at the later end of the usual 45 to 55 range, but still normal.⁴ Some women have periods until about 58.¹ Any bleeding after you have gone 12 months without a period is different: it is not a late period and needs checking.⁶ See postmenopause.

What age does perimenopause start?

Perimenopause usually starts in the mid-40s, about 8 to 10 years before the final period. It can begin as early as the mid-30s or as late as the mid-50s.⁹ It lasts about four years on average, and up to eight.⁹

Early signs include changing cycles, night sweats, poor sleep and mood changes.⁹ See signs of perimenopause at 40 and the main perimenopause guide.

Menopause caused by surgery or cancer treatment, called induced menopause, can happen at any age.^1,2

Early menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency

Menopause before age 40 is called premature. Doctors now prefer the term premature (or primary) ovarian insufficiency, or POI, because the ovaries do not always stop completely.⁷ Menopause between 40 and 45 is called early menopause.⁷

NICE, the guideline body for England, says POI is diagnosed from symptoms plus raised FSH on two blood tests taken 4 to 6 weeks apart.⁸ Without treatment, early loss of estrogen raises the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Guidelines, including those from EMAS, recommend hormone replacement until about the usual age of natural menopause, unless there is a reason not to. Discuss this with a doctor.⁷

Read the full guide to early menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency.

Menopause age at a glance, and can you predict it?

Mid-30s to mid-50s: perimenopause can start; it most often starts in the mid-40s.⁹
Before 40: premature menopause or POI.⁷
40 to 45: early menopause.⁷
45 to 55: the usual range for natural menopause.⁴
51 to 52: the average in the US.^1,2
After 55: within the wider normal range; The Menopause Society puts the upper end at about 58.¹

Perimenopause lasts about four years on average before the final period.⁹ Pregnancy is still possible in perimenopause, even when periods are irregular. If you do not want to become pregnant, keep using contraception until a doctor advises you it is safe to stop.⁹ UK NHS guidance suggests contraception until 2 years after the last period if you are 40 to 50, or 1 year if over 50.¹⁰ For how the stages fit together, see stages of menopause.

Can you predict when you will reach menopause? Not precisely. Your mother's age at menopause and your smoking history give rough clues.⁶ Hormone tests are not reliable predictors for most women. NICE advises against AMH tests to diagnose menopause in women over 45.⁸ Read are at-home menopause tests accurate? before buying one.

Whatever your age, symptoms such as hot flashes, poor sleep and mood changes can be treated at any age, with options such as hormone therapy and CBT. If you still have hot flashes after 60 or vaginal dryness, these can be treated too. Long-term, protect your bones with exercise.

Questions you may want to ask a doctor about timing:

Is my age at menopause, or my symptoms, a reason to protect my bones or heart?
Does my family history or smoking change what I should watch for?
Do I still need contraception, and for how long?

What it is used for: evidence rated

Option	Evidence	What the research shows
Hormone replacement after early menopause	Strong evidence	Guidelines recommend it until about the usual age of natural menopause to protect bone and heart health, unless there is a reason not to; discuss with a doctor.⁷
Stopping smoking	Some evidence	Observational studies link current smoking with earlier menopause; ex-smokers do not differ from non-smokers.³
Family history as a guide	Some evidence	A family history of early menopause is a recognized risk factor, but it cannot predict an exact age.⁶
AMH or FSH tests to predict timing	Weak evidence	NICE advises against AMH to diagnose menopause in women over 45, and FSH swings in perimenopause.^8,9

Ratings explained: how we rate. Always talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting a medicine or supplement.