| Perimenopause | |||||
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Perimenopause is the time between the years of menstruation and ability to bear children, to menopause (when the periods cease).
Perimenopause is a transitional time, which can last for 12 months only to about 10 years (for some women). On average most women experience perimenopause for approximately three years.
Some common symptoms of perimenopause are (although not all women will experience all or any of these symptoms, but the vast majority will experience some):
- Decreased fertility
- Fatigue
- Heavy bleeding
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Irregular menstrual periods
- Irritability
- Light and/or short menstrual periods
- Memory difficulties (fuzzy thinking)
- Mood changes
- Sleep difficulties
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- Perimenopause is a transitional time from being able to bear children, to menopause when the ovaries stop releasing eggs for fertilisation
- Perimenopause is a result of the body's production of estrogen and progestin fluctuations
- Perimenopause is a perfectly normal phase for women
- The most common time for perimenopause to start is in the mid-late 40's, but some women experience it earlier than this
- A hysterectomy may cause menopause to occur earlier than normal
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Why perimenopause is important
Perimenopause is important as it is the induction to the mature phase of women - menopause.
Perimenopause is a normal phase in women's lives and cannot be stopped. The symptoms can be alleviated by several methods:
- Oral contraceptive pill
- Exercise
- Good diet
- Relaxation strategies
- Reduction in stress
references
- McGuire M, Beerman KA, Nutritional Sciences: From Fundamentals to Food, 2007 Thomson Wadsworth USA
- Marieb EM, Hoehn K. Human Anatomy & Physiology. 7th edition, 2006. Benjamin Cummings Publishing
- Osiecki, Henry. The Physician's Handbook of Clinical Nutrition. 6th edition, 2001, BioConcepts Publishing
- Rolfes SR, Pinna K, Whitney E. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition. 7th Edition, 2005. Brooks Cole Publishing
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- Dept Obstetrics & Gynaecology University of Sydney (Australia) - PDF
- Jean Hailles Foundation for Women
