What Is Perimenopause Or The Transition To Menopause
Perimenopause , or the menopausal transition, is the time leading up to your last period. Perimenopause means around menopause.
Perimenopause is a long transition to menopause, or the time when your periods stop permanently and you can no longer get pregnant. As your body transitions to menopause, your hormone levels may change randomly, causing menopause symptoms unexpectedly. During this transition, your ovaries make different amounts of the hormones estrogen and progesterone than usual.
Irregular periods happen during this time because you may not ovulate every month. Your periods may be longer or shorter than usual. You might skip a few months or have unusually long or short menstrual cycles. Your period may be heavier or lighter than before. Many women also have hot flashes and other menopause symptoms during this transition.
What Can I Do To Prevent Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis isnt entirely preventable, but you can take steps to strengthen your bones. Eating foods high in calcium like cheese, yogurt, spinach or fortified cereals can help boost calcium intake. Adding a calcium supplement can also help. Some people also need a vitamin D supplement because it helps their body absorb calcium.
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Changes In Your Periods
Your periods can change for example, they may last longer or get lighter. This does not necessarily mean there’s a problem, but it does need to be investigated.
You can see your GP, or visit your nearest women’s clinic or contraceptive clinic.
Bleeding between periods, bleeding after having sex, or bleeding after the menopause needs to be checked by a doctor.
It might be caused by an infection, abnormalities in the neck of the womb or, in rare cases, it could be cancer.
You could be pregnant if you miss a period and you’ve had sex. See your GP if you’ve taken a pregnancy test and the result is negative and you’ve missed 3 consecutive periods.
They will investigate the cause and recommend any necessary treatment.
Read more about stopped or missed periods.
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Menopause Age: 4 More Influences
Your mothers age at menopause is a key factor, but not the only one. Here are four others to consider:
Should I Still Be Having Periods At 57
Any woman still experiencing a menstrual cycle in her late 50s and 60s should see a doctor. However, its important to note that each womans reproductive system is different. Just as each young woman starts menstruating at a different age, menopause comes at a different age for each woman.
Why has my period suddenly stopped?
Irregular periods. Each month it is not uncommon to experience variation in your period symptoms some may be more painful than others and some may be lighter than others
What are some reasons your period stops?
Pregnancy is the most common reason for periods to stop. However, it is not uncommon to miss the odd period for no apparent reason. Apart from pregnancy, other causes of periods stopping include stress, losing weight, exercising too much and hormonal problems. The interval between periods can also vary in some women.
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Can Menopause Cause Depression
Your body goes through a lot of changes during menopause. There are extreme shifts in your hormone levels, you may not sleep well because of hot flashes and you may experience mood swings. Anxiety and fear could also be at play during this time. All of these factors can lead to depression.
If you experience any of the symptoms of depression, talk to your healthcare provider. During your conversation, your provider will tell you about different types of treatment and check to make sure there isnt another medical condition causing your depression. Thyroid problems can sometimes be the cause of depression.
Is It Normal For Women To Have More Periods After 40
Because theres no normal when it comes to your menstrual cycle, some women might actually experience more periods post-40. In some cases, estrogen and progesterone surges during the menstrual cycle become shorter and higher, says Dr. Gupta. That means your periods could come closer together. Your flow might get heavier
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What Is Premature Menopause & Why Does It Occur
Premature menopause is menopause that occurs before the age of 40. It happens to about 1% of women and is sometimes referred to as early menopause. People can experience premature menopause as early as their teens or early 20s.
There are a number of reasons premature menopause may occur. It may be induced by surgery It can also be triggered by treatments like chemotherapy or radiation therapy
Premature menopause can also be triggered by certain autoimmune or genetic conditions. Examples include:
- Autoimmune diseases: Hypothyroidism, Crohns disease, systemic lupus
- Genetic conditions: Galactosaemia, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, Turners syndrome
Finally, in some cases, the cause is unknown.
The symptoms of early menopause are the same as the symptoms of perimenopause or menopause. However, your healthcare provider will likely perform a number of tests to rule out other possible diagnoses
Because of the young age of some patients, it is more often recommended that those who experience early menopause receive hormone therapy. This helps mitigate the greater risks of side effects like cardiovascular disease or bone density issues.
Bleeding After Menopause Isnt Considered Normal
If you are confirmed to be in menopause and you experience bleeding, there are a few different explanations.
While we strongly urge you to see a doctor to understand these symptoms, dont panic. Not all explanations are serious. But you will want to have the more serious explanations ruled out quickly.
Here are some of the most common explanations:
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What Happens If You Stop Taking Birth Control Before Your Period
The effect of stopping midpack If you stop midpack, which is before your period normally occurs, your body may take longer to reach its normal cycle as well. In addition, if you stop taking your birth control pills during your cycle, you may notice cramping and spotting as soon as two days after taking them.
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What Other Factors Influence When Perimenopause Starts Or When A Woman Reaches Menopause
New research published online on April 12 in Menopause, the journal of NAMS, looked at the various factors that may affect the age when natural menopause occurs.
They found that there are factors that do seem predictive of when a woman will approach menopause, such as higher estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone levels, which weve known for a while,” says Streicher. Irregular menstrual bleeding and hot flashes were also indicators of earlier menopause, she adds.
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One new finding uncovered in the research was around alcohol consumption. The authors observed that participants tended to increase their alcohol consumption when approaching menopause, making it a potential clue that the change was coming.
That makes sense, says Streicher. This can be a time of added stress for women, and we know that any stressful situation can cause someone to drink more, she says.
Although this study didnt find a strong association with smoking, other research has indicated that smoking is related to early onset of menopause, says Streicher.
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Will I Still Enjoy Sex After Menopause
You should still be able to enjoy sex after menopause. Sometimes, decreased sex drive is related to discomfort and painful intercourse. After treating the source of this pain , many people enjoy intimacy again. Hormone therapy can also help many people. If you are having difficulties enjoying sex after menopause, talk to your healthcare provider.
Calcium And Vitamin D
A combination of calcium and vitamin D can reduce the risk of osteoporosis, the bone loss associated with menopause. The best sources are from calcium-rich and vitamin D-fortified foods.
Doctors are currently reconsidering the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises that healthy postmenopausal women don’t need to take these supplements. According to the USPSTF, taking daily low-dose amounts of vitamin D supplements , with or without calcium supplements , does not prevent fractures. For higher doses, the USPSTF says there is not enough evidence to make a recommendation. In addition to possible lack of benefit, these supplements are associated with certain risks, like kidney stones.
However, calcium and vitamin D are important nutrients. Supplements may be appropriate for certain people including those who do not get enough vitamin D through sunlight exposure and those who do not consume enough calcium in their diet. They are also helpful for people who have been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Talk with your doctor about whether or not you should take supplements.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends:
Calcium
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract and is the essential companion to calcium in maintaining strong bones.
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What Are The Hormonal Intrauterine Devices
The hormonal IUDs are small T- shaped plastic devices that are inserted into the uterus . The hormonal IUDs contain progestogen. This is a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone made naturally by the ovaries. The hormonal IUDs have a coating that controls the slow release of progestogen into the uterus. There are two different hormonal IUDs available in Australia. They are sold as Mirena and Kyleena.
When Do You Stop Having Periods
The two types of amenorrhea are referred to as primary and secondary.
Primary amenorrhea is when a teenage girl has reached or passed the age of 16 and still hasnt had her first period. Most girls begin menstruating between ages 9 and 18, but 12 is the average age.
Secondary amenorrhea is when a woman has stopped menstruating for at least three months. This is the more common form of amenorrhea.
In most cases, both types can be treated effectively.
Primary and secondary amenorrhea can occur for numerous reasons. Some causes are natural, while others are medical conditions that need to be treated.
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Do Men Go Through Menopause
Andropause, or male menopause, is a term given to describe decreasing testosterone levels in men. Testosterone production in men declines much more gradually than estrogen production in women at about 1% per year. Healthcare providers often debate calling this slow decline in testosterone menopause since its not as drastic of a hormone shift and doesn’t carry the same intensity of side effects as menopause in women. Some men will not even notice the change because it happens over many years or decades. Other names for the male version of menopause are age-related low testosterone, male hypogonadism or androgen deficiency.
The History Of Monthly Periods
If we go back a couple of thousand years, women were typically in some sort of a sexual relationship from the time they started having periods until they reached menopause, says Pierson. With no contraception available, women were usually pregnant or lactating. For this reason, Pierson estimates that they may have only menstruated about five or six time in their lives.
It was when we had efficient contraception that we got the idea that regular menstrual periods are normal. So to have someone declare that you need a regular menstrual period to be healthy, thats just not the case, he says.
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Why Am I Gaining Weight During Perimenopause
The shift in hormones slows down your metabolism. Its very common for women in perimenopause to gain weight once their estrogen levels start to decline. Maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise can help prevent weight gain during the transition to menopause.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Perimenopause is the transition to menopause. During perimenopause, you may start having menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings or vaginal dryness. Most perimenopause symptoms are manageable. But if you need help managing symptoms, medications and other treatments are available. Perimenopause ends when youve had no period for a full year. At that point, you enter menopause.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 10/05/2021.
References
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Diagnosing Perimenopause And Menopause
You can ask your doctor to check if you are perimenopausal or have reached menopause. If you are at the expected age, have experienced some symptoms and have irregular periods, its likely you are perimenopausal. If you havent had a period for 12 months, you have probably reached menopause.
The best way to predict menopause is to keep track of your symptoms. If your periods are irregular and your symptoms are getting worse, its likely you are approaching menopause.
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At What Age Do Most Women Reach Menopause
The medical definition of menopause is no menstrual bleeding for a year, according to Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology and the medical director of the Northwestern Center for Menopause and the Northwestern Center for Sexual Medicine in Chicago.
Most women experience menopause between age 40 and 58, and the average age at menopause is 51, according to the North American Menopause Society.
Many women are surprised when they go through menopause in their forties because they think theyre too young, but its not unusual, says Dr. Streicher.
Are Women Who Arent Experiencing Menopausal Symptoms Still Fertile
No matter when you experience natural menopause, your chances of getting pregnant after the age of 40 are low, says Faubion. But you can still become pregnant as youre transitioning to menopause, and you still need to use birth control if you don’t want to conceive, she adds.
Streicher confirms, saying, Fertility and menopause are not the same thing there are plenty of women who are pumping out estrogen and menstruating and are not fertile. If youre sexually active, its important to consult with your doctor before making any decisions about birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
On the other hand, dont assume that just because you are still menstruating that you can get pregnant. Women who are concerned that they may have trouble conceiving or think they may experience menopause early and still want children should discuss options such as egg freezing with their doctor, says Streicher.
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Your Periods Could Become Less Frequent
Before you reach menopause, your body goes through perimenopause, a transition time between normal periods and full menopause , which can last one to five years, says Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, MD, an ob-gyn in Seattle. Perimenopause is a time thats characterized by irregular menses, which are usually more spaced out. As your hormones start to fluctuate, it can lead to scanter, lighter periods, adds Adeeti Gupta, an ob-gyn and founder of Walk In GYN Care in New York City.
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How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Perimenopause Complications
Irregular periods are the most common symptom of perimenopause. But its important to know when to talk to your healthcare provider about your periods. Sometimes, irregular bleeding can point to an underlying problem.
You can lower your risk of complications by seeking treatment when necessary. Talk to your healthcare provider if you:
- Bleed for more than seven days in a row.
- Bleed between periods.
- Change pads or tampons every one to two hours.
- Have periods more frequently than every 21 days.
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How Do I Use The Hormonal Iud
The hormonal IUD is inserted inside the uterus by a trained doctor or nurse. You can choose to have a local anaesthetic or sedation while it is inserted. The IUD insertion takes around 15 minutes but you will be in the clinic for an hour or more. See below for a video about IUDs and how to help prepare for and manage pain from an IUD insertion.
Is Having A Hard Time Concentrating And Being Forgetful A Normal Part Of Menopause
Unfortunately, concentration and minor memory problems can be a normal part of menopause. Though this doesnt happen to everyone, it can happen. If youre having memory problems during menopause, call your healthcare provider. Several activities have been shown to stimulate the brain and help rejuvenate your memory. These activities can include:
- Doing crossword puzzles and other mentally stimulating activities like reading and doing math problems.
- Cutting back on passive activities like watching TV.
- Getting plenty of exercise.
Keep in mind that depression and anxiety can also impact your memory. These conditions can be linked to menopause.
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What Are The Complications Of Menopause
Menopause occurs alongside a range of lifestyle and metabolic changes in women. These include:
- Heart disease Menopause has a significant impact on a womans risk of getting heart disease.
- Osteoporosis during menopause, your body starts to break down bone tissue more quickly than it replaces it.
- Sex drive Women often find their sexual feelings and desires change around the time of menopause.
These changes are common, and it may help to discuss them with your partner, your doctor or a trusted friend.