Women going through menopause may have hot flashes that last for more than seven years, according to new research that debunks long-held theories that symptoms are mostly short-lived.
The study is the biggest examination of how long menopausal symptoms last, the authors said. Among the more than half of women who have frequent symptoms in midlife, menopause lasts for 7.4 years on average. Symptoms can go on much longer for black women and Latino women, the research published Monday showed.
Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation that comes after the loss of ovarian activity, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The average age of menopause in North America is 51 years. Previous estimates suggested menopause symptoms lasted six months to two years, the group said.
