As a result of a progressive decline in levels of the hormone estrogen in women, menstrual periods cease and menopause begins. On an average, this happens when a woman is between 45 and 50 years old and concludes by about age 55. Until recently, menopause was regarded not only as an end to a woman's reproductive years but as the beginning of old age. Fortunately, this view has changed. Today majority of women in the industrialized societies, and also in developing countries, can expect to live more than a third of their lives after menopause and with continued productivity.

The important changes at menopause affect both life expectancy and the quality of life. Our Cover this week is Menopause, which has research articles and information by leading health professionals on the management of menopause. Menopause has many implications for our women, rich or poor, urban or rural.

For example, before menopause a woman's

hormones protect her from the heart disease which is more common in men. With menopause that

protection is lost, and by about 55 years of age, women die of heart disease at about the same rate as men. The gradual loss of bone mass that most women experience from 30 years of age onward is drastically accelerated at menopause. A woman may lose 10 to 20 per cent of her bone mass in the decade following menopause, with a slower but still

significant loss thereafter.