“Perimenopause usually happens sometime in your 40s.
On average, it lasts four to six years,
but it can last from one to 10 years”.1
Umbrella
What may the Perimenopause Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Climacteric
- Late Reproductive Stage (LRS)
- Menopausal Transition/Transitional Phase
- Menopause Transition/Transitional Phase
- Perimenopausal/Peri-menopausal Changes
- Perimenopause/Peri-menopause
- The Transition To Menopause
- Time Leading Up To Menopause
Definition
DotS the definition of perimenopause may vary.
In Menopause: Key Facts the World Health Organization’s definition is:
- “The menopausal transition can be gradual, usually beginning with changes in the menstrual cycle. ‘Perimenopause’ refers to the period from when these signs are first observed and ends one year after the final menstrual period”.2
On page four in Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Terms [English] the International Menopause Society’s definition is:
In Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What Is Perimenopause? the North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:
In Menopause: Overview the (United Kingdom) NHS’s definition is:
- “Perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause but your periods have not stopped. Perimenopause ends and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months”.5
First Sign
What is usually the first sign of perimenopause?
In Menopause: Symptoms – Common Symptoms of Menopause and Perimenopause: Changes To Your Periods the NHS explain:
Eventually you’ll stop having periods altogether”.6
Physical Symptoms
What may some physical symptoms include?
In Symptoms of Menopause: Physical and Emotional Symptoms — Physical Symptoms the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Physical symptoms may include:
- Irregular periods
- Hot flushes
- Night sweats
- Sleep problems
- Sore breasts
- Itchy, crawly or dry skin
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Dry vagina
- Loss of sex drive (libido)
- Headaches or migraines
- More pronounced premenstrual tension (PMS)
- Aches and pains
- Bloating
- Urinary problems
- Weight gain due to a slower metabolism”.7
Emotional Symptoms
What may some emotional symptoms include?
In Symptoms of Menopause: Physical and Emotional Symptoms — Emotional Symptoms the JH explain:
- Feeling irritable or frustrated
- Feeling anxious
- Difficulty concentrating
- Forgetfulness
- Lowered mood
- Mood swings
- Feeling you can’t cope as well as you used to”.8
Common or Not
How common are menopausal symptoms?
On page one in Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause one of the recommendations is:
Start
When may perimenopause start?
In Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
In What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Perimenopause? the JH also note:
Duration
How long can perimenopause last?
In What Is Menopause? What Is Perimenopause (the Menopausal Transition)? the Australasian Menopause Society elaborate on:
Menopause
When does perimenopause stop and menopause officially start?
In Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the Mayo Clinic explain:
Hormone Therapy
Can hormone therapy help improve symptoms of menopause?
In Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns, dated 20 July 2023, the Mayo Clinic note:
Health Care Provider
What if I would like help with perimenopause?
If you would like help with perimenopause, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.
In What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor the JH explain:
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Bleeding after menopause
- Increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
- Menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, that interfere with your daily life”.15
In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Perimenopause?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Perimenopause?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- 5 Things You Didn’t Realise You Need To Know About Perimenopause
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns
- Peri-Menopause and Irregular Periods [18 November 2023]
- Perimenopause Usually Begins In Your 40s. How Do You Know If It Has Started?
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
- 5 Things You Didn’t Realise You Need To Know About Perimenopause
- 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
- A Guide To Birth Control In Your 40s and 50s
- ACOG Explains: Managing Menopause Symptoms [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists] [October 2023]
- An Online Survey of Perimenopausal Women To Determine Their Attitudes and Knowledge of the Menopause
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Menopause Explained
- BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Contraception and the Menopause
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Diagnosing Menopause
- Diagnostic Tests for Menopause
- Do My Period Changes Mean Perimenopause?
- Dr Louise Newson Breaks Down The Menopause & Lisa Snowdon Shares Her Experience | This Morning
- Dr Louise Newson: The Truth About the Menopause & HRT
- Everything You Need To Know About Perimenopause
- FAQs: Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australian Members and New Zealand Members]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- Heavy Bleeding
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- How To Deal With Perimenopause Cramps
- How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
- How To Know If You Are In Menopause
- Is Menopause Making Me Put on Weight? No, But It’s Complicated
- It’s Not Alzheimer’s Disease: It’s Perimenopause
- Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Supporting Someone Through the Menopause [+ Video: Men Don’t Need To Know About Menopause]
- Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
- Mastering Midlife Mood Changes With Marlene Freeman, MD
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – Stages of Menopause: Perimenopause
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 1. What Is Menopause?
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause Wellness
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Understanding Menstrual Health and Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: What Is Menopause?
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and Mental Health
- Menopause – Multilingual Fact Sheets
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
- Menopause: Things You Can Do
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP #256
- Menstrual Calendar
- Mood and the Menopause
- Mymenoplan.org [My Menoplan, United States]
- My Periods Have Changed. Is Menopause Around the Corner?
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Night Sweats
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Peri-Menopause and Irregular Periods
- Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
- Perimenopause Usually Begins In Your 40s. How Do You Know If It Has Started?
- Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause
- Perimenopause: Rocky Road To Menopause
- Period Pain & Symptom Diary
- Self-Help Tool: Menopause and Mental Wellbeing
- The Reality of Menopause Weight Gain
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Vaginal Dryness
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause: Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Video Series-2023: Menopause and Heart Disease
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Video Series-2023: Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Menopause Experience
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Menopause and Abnormal Bleeding
- VITAL Research [VITAL Is the Virtual Registry of Peri-/Menopause In Australia]
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: What Women Should Know About Menopause and Brain Fog
- Webinar: Perimenopause
- Webinars: Previous – Clinical Climacteric Conundrums
- What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Menopause
- What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
- What Is Menopause?
- What Is Menopause?
- What Is Menopause? [+ Video]
- What To Expect In Menopause With Dr. Pelin Batur
- Young Onset Dementia: Perimenopause and Menopause
- Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
- World Menopause Day
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Perimenopause? Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Menopause: Key Facts. 17 October 2022. World Health Organization https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/menopause Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Glossary of Terms [English]. October 2022:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/IMS-English-Factsheet-4-glossary.pdf Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What Is Perimenopause? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-an-introduction-to-menopause Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Menopause: Overview. Page Last Reviewed: 17 May 2022. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Menopause: Symptoms – Common Symptoms of Menopause and Perimenopause: Changes To Your Periods. Page Last Reviewed: 17 May 2022. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/ Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Symptoms of Menopause: Physical and Emotional Symptoms — Physical Symptoms. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms#physical-and-emotional-symptoms Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Symptoms of Menopause: Physical and Emotional Symptoms — Physical Symptoms. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-symptoms#physical-and-emotional-symptoms Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:1 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/perimenopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20354666 Accessed: 12 October 2023
- What Is Menopause? Perimenopause, Menopause and Postmenopause – Perimenopause? Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause Accessed: 12 October 2023
- What Is Menopause? What Is Perimenopause (the Menopausal Transition)? Content Created May 2022. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/185-what-is-menopause Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/perimenopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20354666 Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Perimenopause Transitions and Concerns. 20 July 2023. Mayo Clinic https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-perimenopause-transitions-and-concerns/ Accessed: 12 October 2023
- What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor. Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 12 October 2023
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 12 October 2023