Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a woman’s normal life phase that occurs between the ages of 35 and 58 years and lasts for 2 to 10 years. It can be considered the physiological transition between premenopausal regular, fertile menstrual cycles and menopause, when fertility and menstruation have ended. Variability is the only predictable characteristic of perimenopause. For many years, perimenopause and menopause (the life phase that begins 1 year after a woman’s final menstrual flow) have both been considered to be characterized by estrogen deficiency, aging, and health risks. Perimenopause and menopause are often still viewed as a single entity, perhaps because they share increased risks for hot flushes/flashes and night sweats (called vasomotor symptoms [VMS]) as well as, to some degree, decreased sexual interest/vaginal dryness. Otherwise, perimenopause ...