What is the menopause and when does it strike?

It's a natural part of the female life cycle - so why don't we talk more about the menopause, its debilitating effects and possible mitigation?

The menopause is when a woman's fertile period comes to a halt. This is generally a gradual process over months or even years, but technically the menopause is defined as when a woman has gone 12 months without a period. In the UK, the average age for this happening is 52 years, but about one in 100 women have a menopause before the age of 40.