The onset of perimenopause can occur anywhere between the mid-30s and the mid-50s. For some, perimenopause is a brief transition. However, the average person can expect to experience this for four to eight years. Once your menstrual cycles become unpredictable, you have entered the perimenopause.
As your body adjusts to new hormone levels, you may also notice some other physical changes and symptoms. While pregnancy is possible during perimenopause, fertility is decreasing. Perimenopause symptoms, onset age, and duration will vary among women. Once 12 months have passed since your last period, you have officially entered menopause and left perimenopause behind.
When comparing perimenopause and menopause, what are the key differences?
Menopause follows a period of transition known as perimenopause. Because of menopause, menstruation is no longer a regular occurrence. Menopause is reached when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months.
The cause of perimenopause is unknown.
As you get older, your ovaries gradually slow down their production of estrogen in preparation for when you finally stop ovulating. Your body is getting ready for menopause, the time when you will no longer be able to have children. It’s a typical part of a woman’s monthly cycle, and nothing to worry about.
How old must a woman be before she enters perimenopause?
About eight to ten years before menopause, a transition known as perimenopause begins. The average onset age is around midlife, but it can occur earlier. Premature menopause occurs when women experience the onset of menopause before the age of 40. Premature menopause can be triggered by a variety of medical issues and interventions. Primary ovarian insufficiency is the term used to describe premenopause when no other medical or surgical causes can be identified.