Perimenopause refers to the time leading up to menopause, when a woman's body begins transitioning to permanent infertility. On average, perimenopause starts for women around age 47, but it can begin earlier or later.
During the perimenopausal transition, a woman's ovaries start to fail with decreased production of estrogen and progesterone. This leads to changes in menstrual cycles, both in flow and frequency. Other common symptoms of perimenopause include:
The duration of perimenopause varies drastically among women. It starts when the body first begins gearing up for menopause. Technically, menopause occurs when a woman has not had her period for 12 consecutive months. The average time spent moving through perimenopause to menopause is 4 years, but it can last anywhere from 2 to 8 years.
Diagnosing perimenopause involves blood tests to measure hormone levels combined with tracking menstrual cycle length. Due to hormone fluctuations, cycles may be longer or shorter during this time. Hormone testing can confirm elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, which indicates the ovaries are beginning to fail.
For women struggling with difficult perimenopause symptoms, treatment is available in the form of hormone therapy. The experts at Vital Hormones Clinic specialize in customized bioidentical hormone therapy to help women overcome peri/menopause. Contact them today to learn about science-based hormone solutions tailored to your unique needs.
Managing this transitional time to menopause can be challenging. Working with a knowledgeable women's health provider makes a big difference. In addition to hormone therapy, regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress reduction, and proper sleep hygiene can alleviate common symptoms. Understanding what's happening in your body is an important first step.