Risk factors

Not all women who go through menopause have hot flashes, and it's not clear why some women do have them. Factors that may increase your risk include:

• Smoking. Women who smoke are more likely to get hot flashes.
• Obesity. A high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a higher frequency of hot flashes.
• Race. More black women report having hot flashes during menopause than do women of other races. Hot flashes are reported least frequently in Asian women.