The average age of menopause is 52 in the United States.When it comes to women’s health, there are many topics that aren’t discussed as often as they should be — or discussed without shame. Menopause is, unfortunately, one of the topics, even though an estimated 1.3 million Americans enter menopause each year.The secrecy leads to false information and fear, in addition to unnecessary discomfort for those going through the change. Many people don’t even know what menopause is, other than hot flashes (which can be part of it).“The definition of menopause is one full year without a period in the absence of something else to explain it, like pregnancy,” said Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, a gynaecologist at Yale Medicine in Connecticut.And, we only know it’s our last period when looking back in time, added Dr. Karen E. Adams, a clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Stanford University School of Medicine in California and the director of Stanford’s menopause and healthy aging program.“When you have your last period, you don’t know that’s your last period unti