Perimenopause

“Perimenopause usually happens in a woman’s 40s
and on average lasts 4-6 years,
but can be as short as one year, or as long as 10”.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

Perimenopause What is perimenopause?

DotS the definition of perimenopause may vary. On page four in Menopause Terminology: Glossary of Terms [English], published October 2022, the International Menopause Society’s (IMS) definition is:

“Perimenopause – the time before; around and just after the actual moment of menopause”.2

The North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:

“The gradual transition between the reproductive years and menopause is called perimenopause (meaning around menopause). It is generally a transition lasting many years and can be associated with shorter menstrual intervals, irregular menses, hot flashes, night sweats, and other symptoms”.3

The Australasian Menopause Society’s (AMS) definition is:

“The perimenopause is the time period preceding the menopause to one year after the menopause, and is characterised by hormonal fluctuation, anovulatory cycles and onset of cycle irregularity and symptoms”.4

The (United Kingdom) NHS’s definition is:

  • “Perimenopause is when you have symptoms before your periods have stopped”.5

Changes

What happens at perimenopause?

In Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: What Happens At Perimenopause? the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Changes to your periods are often the first sign of perimenopause, but other common symptoms include hot flushes and mood swings. Symptoms may come in waves and often get worse before your period, when oestrogen levels drop”.6

Periods

Do a woman’s periods simply stop or not?

Not usually. The NAMS explain:

“As a woman reaches perimenopause, changes in menstrual flow and frequency are common. A few women simply stop menstruating one day and never have another period. However, about 90% of women experience 4 to 8 years of menstrual-cycle changes before their periods are gone for good. Most report irregular periods”.7

Signs and Symptoms

What are some common signs and symptoms of perimenopause?

In Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause – Symptoms the (British) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) explain about Symptoms:

“During perimenopause you might have symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, joint and muscle pain, vaginal dryness, mood changes and a lack of interest in sex”.8

In Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: Symptoms the JH note:

Meno Martha “Symptoms can include any of the following:

  • Hot flushes
  • Night sweats
  • Irregular periods
  • Problems with falling asleep, staying asleep and sleep quality
  • Breast tenderness
  • Itchy/crawly/dry skin
  • Exhaustion
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Loss of libido (sex drive – talk to your doctor about sexual function if this concerns you)
  • Migraines
  • More pronounced premenstrual tension
  • Mood changes, such as feeling more teary and irritable. Anxiety may also occur
  • Weight gain, despite no changes to diet or exercise, due to the metabolism slowing down”.9

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:

“The menopause transition can have a significant impact on many women, with more than 75% experiencing menopausal symptoms and a quarter describing their symptoms as severe. A third experience long-term symptoms, which may last as much as 7 years or longer”.10

Start

When may perimenopause start?

In Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“Women start perimenopause at different ages. You may notice signs of progression toward menopause, such as menstrual irregularity, sometime in your 40s. But some women notice changes as early as their mid-30s”.11

Duration

How long can perimenopause last?

In What Is Menopause? What Is Perimenopause (the Menopausal Transition)? the AMS elaborate on:

“Some women can experience menopausal symptoms for 5-10 years before their final menstrual period. Age at which a woman’s menopausal symptoms will start or how long they will last, is not able to be predicted”.12

In Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: When Does Perimenopause Occur? the JH also note:

“Perimenopause usually happens in a woman’s 40s and on average lasts 4-6 years, but can be as short as one year, or as long as 10. When you have had no period, spotting or staining for 12 months, you have reached menopause and are then considered postmenopausal. However, symptoms may continue for months or years after menopause – every woman is different”.13

Menopause

When does perimenopause stop and menopause officially start?

According to the Mayo Clinic:

“Once you’ve gone through 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, you’ve officially reached menopause, and the perimenopause period is over”.14

Therapies

What are some perimenopause therapies?

The JH explain:

“There are many different therapies available. One type may suit better than another. There are a number of other strategies including natural therapies and prescribed medications – such as the Pill – for women who have bothersome symptoms and do not wish to, or cannot take, MHT. It is recommended that women discuss all their options with a health practitioner who has expertise in women’s health. Treatments may help some symptoms, but the changes that menopause brings will still occur”.15

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:

“Talk to your doctor if you are worried about:

  • Irregular periods
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Bleeding after menopause
  • Increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
  • Menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, that interfere with your daily life”.16

In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment the Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“Before deciding on any form of treatment, talk with your doctor about your options and the risks and benefits involved with each. Review your options yearly, as your needs and treatment options may change”.17

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Perimenopause?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

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

  1. An Online Survey of Perimenopausal Women to Determine Their Attitudes and Knowledge of the Menopause
  2. Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
  3. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
  4. Contraception and the Menopause
  5. Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
  6. Diagnosing Menopause
  7. Diagnostic Tests for Menopause
  8. Do My Period Changes Mean Perimenopause?
  9. Dr Gail Busby – I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – Episode 9 The Menopause
  10. Dr. Louise Newson Breaks Down The Menopause & Lisa Snowdon Shares Her Experience | This Morning
  11. Everything You Need To Know About Perimenopause
  12. Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
  13. Find An AMS Doctor [Australian Members and New Zealand Members]
  14. Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
  15. Heavy Bleeding
  16. Hot Flashes
  17. Hot Flashes
  18. Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
  19. How To Deal With Perimenopause Cramps
  20. How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
  21. How To Know If You Are In Menopause
  22. Is It Menopause or A Thyroid Problem?
  23. 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
  24. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Menopause and Your Mental Wellbeing [+ Video: Menopause Only Affects You Physically!]
  25. Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
  26. 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]
  27. Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
  28. Maintaining Your Weight and Health During and After Menopause
  29. Management of Depressive Symptoms In Peri- and Postmenopausal Women: EMAS Position Statement [European Menopause and Andropause Society]
  30. Mastering Midlife Mood Changes With Marlene Freeman, MD
  31. Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  32. Menopause
  33. Menopause
  34. Menopause
  35. Menopause
  36. Menopause
  37. Menopause
  38. Menopause & Herbs
  39. Menopause Explained
  40. Menopause FAQs: An Introduction To Menopause – Q. What Is Perimenopause?
  41. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
    Perimenopause
  42. Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – Stages of Menopause: Perimenopause
    Perimenopause
  43. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 1. What Is Menopause?
  44. Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 2. Talking To Your GP About Menopause
  45. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause Wellness
  46. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
  47. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Understanding Menstrual Health and Menopause
  48. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: What Is Menopause?
  49. Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
  50. Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
  51. Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
  52. Menopause and Depression
  53. Menopause and Mental Health
  54. Menopause – Information for Partners – Fact Sheet
  55. Menopause – Multilingual Fact Sheets
  56. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause [NICE Guideline]
  57. Menstrual Calendar
  58. Mood and the Menopause
  59. My Periods Have Changed. Is Menopause Around the Corner?
  60. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices
  61. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  62. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms In Depth
  63. Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
  64. Navigating Menopause Together: How Partners Can Help
  65. Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
  66. Night Sweats
  67. Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
  68. Oestrogen and Cognition In the Perimenopause and Menopause
  69. Peri-What? Know Your Perimenopause
  70. Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause
  71. Perimenopause and Menopause Symptom Checklist
    Perimenopause Symptom Checklist
  72. Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
  73. Perimenopause
  74. Perimenopause
  75. Perimenopause and Depression
  76. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet
  77. Perimenopause: How To Manage the Change Before ‘The Change’
  78. Perimenopause: Rocky Road To Menopause
  79. Period Pain & Symptom Diary
  80. Shop-Bought Menopause Tests Not Worth It, Women Advised
  81. Supporting Women Through Menopause – Fact Sheet
  82. Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
  83. Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
  84. Vaginal Dryness
  85. Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
  86. Video Series-2022: Irregular Menstrual Cycles What’s Normal and What’s Abnormal?
  87. Video Series-2022: Perimenopause: Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
  88. Video Series-2023: Lifestyle Modification and Prevention of Breast Cancer
  89. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: Menopause and Abnormal Bleeding
  90. Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: What Women Should Know About Menopause and Brain Fog
  91. Webinar: Perimenopause
  92. Webinars: Previous – Menopause and Work
  93. Webinars: Previous – Reproductive Conditions and Consequences for Menopausal Health and Management
  94. What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
  95. What Is Menopause?
  96. What Is Menopause?
  97. What Is Menopause?
  98. What Is Perimenopause and How Does It Affect Women’s Health In Midlife?
  99. Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Episode 3: Dr Annice Mukherjee: Your Essential Menopause Toolkit
  100. Your Contraception Guide: How Do I Know I’ve Reached Menopause If I’m on the Pill?

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: What Happens At Perimenopause? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/resources/perimenopause-fact-sheet Accessed: 19 February 2023
  2. 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: 19 February 2023
  3. 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: 19 February 2023
  4. What Is Menopause? What Is Peri-Menopause (the Menopausal Transition)? Content Created May 2022. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/185-what-is-menopause Accessed: 19 February 2023
  5. Menopause: Overview. Page Last Reviewed: 17 May 2022. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/#when-to-see-your-gp Accessed: 19 February 2023
  6. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: What Happens At Perimenopause? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/resources/perimenopause-fact-sheet Accessed: 19 February 2023
  7. North American Menopause Society. Menopause Guidebook: 3. Menopause Signs, Symptoms, and Strategies – Changes in Menstrual Periods. 8th Edition 2015:9
  8. Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Menopause – Symptoms. Published Date: 12 November 2015. Last Updated: 05 December 2019. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Menopause Accessed: 19 February 2023
  9. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: What Happens At Perimenopause? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/resources/perimenopause-fact-sheet Accessed: 19 February 2023
  10. 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: 19 February 2023
  11. Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 07 August 2021. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/perimenopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20354666 Accessed: 19 February 2023
  12. 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: 19 February 2023
  13. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: When Does Perimenopause Occur? Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/resources/perimenopause-fact-sheet Accessed: 19 February 2023
  14. Perimenopause: Symptoms & Causes – Overview. 07 August 2021. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/perimenopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20354666 Accessed: 19 February 2023
  15. Perimenopause – Fact Sheet: Treatment Options. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/resources/perimenopause-fact-sheet Accessed: 19 February 2023
  16. What Is Menopause? When To See Your Doctor. Last Updated: 11 November 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/about-menopause/ Accessed: 19 February 2023
  17. Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment. 17 December 2022. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 19 February 2023
Topic Last Updated: 19 March 2023 – Topic Last Reviewed: 19 February 2023

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