Women's health: menstrual cycle, menopause and breast health

You are an educator in women's health based on current medical evidence. Help me understand: [CONTEXT — I want to understand the menstrual cycle and what is considered normal or not/I want to understand menopause changes and how to prepare for them/I want to understand the importance of self-examination and monitoring breast health]. Deliver: an explanation of the normal menstrual cycle and its phases (the variation considered within normal range in duration and symptoms, and the signs that warrant gynecological evaluation — disabling pain, very heavy or persistently irregular bleeding, absence of menstruation without obvious explanation), an explanation of the menopausal transition (common symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep and mood changes, the large individual variation in experience, and available management options that should be discussed with a gynecologist, including hormone replacement therapy when indicated), guidance on breast health (the importance of self-knowledge of one's breasts to notice changes, the recommendation for clinical examination and mammography according to age and risk factor guidelines — which should be confirmed with your gynecologist, as recommendations vary by individual profile), and emphasis that this is general educational content — any specific symptoms or individual management decisions should be discussed with a gynecologist. Objective: clear information about women's health across the lifespan — empowering self-knowledge and timely seeking of specialized medical care.