Discussions with patients about the menopause are becoming more complex because of women's increasing longevity, the wide range of therapeutic options, the controversies regarding menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and the increasing use of alternative and complementary therapies. The aim of this document is to provide guidance in bullet-point style on the essential issues that medical students need to know about the stages of reproductive aging, menopause terminology, menopause and postmenopausal health [1].