Women's healthHealthy aging

Ten surprising facts about menopause

Learn about hair differences, foggy thinking, and other changes.


LearnHormone healthMenopauseTen surprising facts about menopause
Your vagina and vulva may change
Vaginal estrogen is an option
Consider lube
Consider vaginal moisturizer
You may feel dizzy or have mood swings
Menopause can affect your thinking and memory
Your depression risk goes up
Hair may grow in unexpected places
Abnormal uterine bleeding can happen
Ask about your heart health

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Menopause is a natural life transition that can raise a range of emotions, questions, and concerns, and not everyone talks about it.

"I wish more women knew that what they’re feeling is normal," says Afua Mintah, MD, an OBGYN at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. "Many women just need validation that these experiences aren’t in their head, and they’re not being imagined."

With that in mind, here are 10 surprising facts about menopause, along with tips to help ease the transition.

Sources: Mayo Clinic. Vaginal atrophy. May 2, 201... + 31
  1. Mayo Clinic. Vaginal atrophy. May 2, 2019.
  2. The North American Menopause Society. Changes in the Vagina and Vulva. Accessed December 8, 2020.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Risk Reduction Tool. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  4. Bonnie Rothman Morris. Two Years After; Fighting Dryness, With Pills, Gels and Rings. The New York Times. June 6, 2004.
  5. Vagifem. How Vagifem works in your body. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  6. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Introduction to Menopause. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  7. Cleveland Clinic. Can Menopause Cause Anxiety, Depression or Panic Attacks? November 25, 2019.
  8. University of Rochester Medical Center. ‘Brain Fog’ of Menopause Confirmed. March 13, 2012.
  9. Women’s Health Research Institute. Effect of Perimenopause on Cognition. 2014.
  10. Harvard Gazette. Changes in memory tied to menopausal status. September 27, 2016.
  11. BL Lasley, S Crawford, & DS McConnell. Adrenal androgens and the menopausal transition. Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. September 1, 2012. 38(3), 467–475.
  12. T Yasui, S Matsui, et al. Androgen in postmenopausal women. The Journal of Medical Investigation. 2012. 59(1-2):12-27.
  13. HealthyWomen.org. Androgen. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  14. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Menorrhagia. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  15. BS Agpar, AH Kaufman, et al. Treatment of Menorrhagia. American Family Physician. June 15, 2007. 75(12):1813-1819.
  16. Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research. For Healthcare Providers: Managing Menorrhagia Without Surgery. October 4, 2017.
  17. Andrew M. Kaunitz. Menorrhagia During Perimenopause. Medscape. March 1, 2006.
  18. JC Prior. Progesterone for Symptomatic Perimenopause Treatment - Progesterone politics, physiology and potential for perimenopause. Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn. 2011, 3(2), 109–120.
  19. American Heart Association. Menopause and Heart Disease. July 31, 2015.
  20. University Health News Daily. Cholesterol Levels for Women May Increase After Menopause. April 20, 2020.
  21. RA Lobo, SR Davis, et al. Prevention of diseases after menopause. Climacteric. June 4, 2014. Pages 540-556.
  22. J Jin. Vaginal and Urinary Symptoms of Menopause. JAMA. 2017;317(13):1388.
  23. MB Mac Bride, DJ Rhodes, & LT Shuster. Vulvovaginal atrophy. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. January 2010. 85(1), 87–94.
  24. Cleveland Clinic. Do You Bleed After Sex? When to See a Doctor. September 1, 2017.
  25. R Kagan, S Kellogg-Spadt, & SJ Parish. Practical Treatment Considerations in the Management of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. Drugs & Aging, 36(10), 897–908.
  26. Mayo Clinic. Estrogen (Vaginal route). October 1, 2020.
  27. Medline Plus. Estrogen Vaginal. August 15, 2018.
  28. J Patterson, L Millheiser, & ML Krychman. Moisturizers, Lubricants, and Vulvar Hygiene Products: Issues, Answers, and Clinical Implications. Female Sexual Dysfunction and Disorders. November 3, 2016. 8, pages213–221(2016).
  29. Cleveland Clinic. Uterine Bleeding: Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. August 30, 2019.
  30. Medscape. Abnormal (Dysfunctional) Uterine Bleeding Workup. December 7, 2018.
  31. M Terauchi, T Odai, et al. Dizziness in peri- and postmenopausal women is associated with anxiety: a cross-sectional study. BioPsychoSocial Medicine. December 12, 2018. 12, 21.
  32. National Sleep Foundation. Menopause & Sleep. Accessed December 7, 2020.
Written by Rose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed by Joanne Perron, MD, MPH.April, 2026
Updated onSeptember, 2026
Written by Rose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed by Joanne Perron, MD, MPH.April, 2026
Updated onSeptember, 2026
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