Perimenopause

The menopause itself is actually only one single day; the one on which you have not had a period for twelve months. The transitional period before this date, which many people refer to as ‘going through the menopause’, is actually technically known as perimenopause.

Perimenopause marks the years leading up to the menopause, usually between two and eight years, during which levels of the reproductive hormones oestrogen and progesterone begin to decline in a woman’s body, eventually putting an end to her menstrual cycle. Perimenopause is a natural part of aging that signals the ending of the reproductive years.

The age at which perimenopause begins can vary greatly between women. Most women notice the first symptom of perimenopause, which is usually an increasingly irregular menstrual cycle, sometime during their forties. However it is not uncommon to begin to experience the signs of perimenopause during the mid to late thirties.

The symptoms of perimenopause

You will know you are transitioning into menopause when you begin experiencing some or all of the following symptoms:

Irregular periods

Periods that are heavier or lighter than usual

Hot flushes

Breast tenderness

Worsening of PMS

Decreased libido

Unusual tiredness

Vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex

Urine leakage when coughing or sneezing

Needing to urinate more frequently

Mood swings

Interrupted sleep

While irregular periods are a normal part of perimenopause, there are some circumstances in which you should consult your doctor, as menstrual irregularities could signal a hormonal imbalance, fibroids, blood clotting problems, or in very rare cases, certain forms of cancer.

Consult your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

Your periods are very heavy or accompanied by blood clots

Your periods last several days longer than usual

You have spotting between periods

You experience bleeding after sex

Your periods occur more often than usual

Pregnancy and Perimenopause

As your hormone levels drop it is harder to become pregnant, but this does not make getting pregnant during perimenopause impossible. You may begin to have some menstrual cycles in which you don’t ovulate, but during those in which an egg is released, it is still possible to conceive.

For those of you who dread the idea of getting pregnant during perimenopause, you should continue to use contraception until you have not had a period for twelve months. For those still trying for children, fertility enhancing treatments may be necessary if you have reached perimenopause.

Reducing the Symptoms of Perimenopause

As well as hormonal treatments available from your doctor, there are a number of things you can do yourself to reduce the impact of perimenopause. These include: