Final answer:
Menopause typically occurs around the average age of 52, though it can happen anytime between 45 and 55 years of age. It signifies the end of menstrual cycles and reproductive fertility in women, caused by the loss of ovarian follicles and their hormones.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cessation of menstrual cycles at the end of a woman's reproductive years is termed menopause. Women typically experience menopause around the average age of 52, although it can normally occur between the ages of 45 and 55. A variety of biological and environmental factors, including overall health and lifestyle choices like smoking, may influence the timing of menopause.
During menopause, women's menstrual cycles begin to slow down and eventually stop, marking the end of natural reproductive fertility due to the loss of ovarian follicles and their associated hormones. This transition into menopause usually starts in a woman's mid-40s to mid-50s. A woman is considered to be postmenopausal if she has not menstruated for a full year.