KANISA GEORGE

It wasn't very long ago that my mother sat me down and had that dreaded period talk with me. She held my hand, made me feel comfortable, and explained in as much detail as she could what most of us know as the dawn of womanhood.

Even before the highly anticipated conversation, 'period talk' was a very live topic at both primary and secondary schools, and even more, there was so much information available and shared, it made the transition into womanhood a bit easier.

You would think that the deed was over after experiencing your first period. You learn to deal with awkward moments and manoeuvre painful cramps.

For some of us it gets better, and the rest of us merely put up with this monthly inconvenience until we no longer have to. But no one really thinks of that time. If I'm being honest, very few people talk about it.

Isn't it strange that our period is ushered in with great fanfare when the start of the next stage isn't?

Come to think of it, there is very little conversation around the end of our periods. So much so that one might be tempted to think that things would simply return to what it was before. We have all heard about hot flashes and bladder leaks but menopause is so much more than we're told.

How many of us are given that sit-down talk before the inevitable happens? My guess, not many. And for those who have had that conversation, is it as in-depth as the one we had in preparation for our period?

In a grocery aisle not too long ago, I overheard two women talking about vaginal prolapse.

Intrigued, I continued to eavesdrop on their very loud conversation.

One of the women shared the shame she felt in having the experience, the effect it had on her public and private life, and the overall lack of information available for menopausal women.

That conversation got me thinking if this experience is an inevitability, why don't we talk about menopause?

Menopause is commonly known as that period in a woman's life when she stops having periods.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, menopause occurs when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. The age at which menopause occurs varies between cultures and ethnicities, but it typically starts between the ages of 45 and 55.

However, some women experience menopause much earlier than others. Several studies show that approximately two per cent of women under 40 experience premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.

In most cases the cause is unknown, but studies suggest a possible link to chromosome abnormalities, autoimmune diseases, or exposure to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Women who experience early menopause have reported experiencing long-term adverse effects on cognition, mood, cardiovascular health, bones, and sexual health, according to a 2010 study by Rhodes and Rocca.

Contrary to what most women of childbearing age may think, menopause isn't simply a one-off occurrence. It comes in three stages and involves perimenopause, menopause, and postmenop