By Aishat M. Abisola
Menopause is the natural and permanent end of menstrual periods, marking the conclusion of a woman’s reproductive years. Most women experience menopause between 45 and 55 years of age. It is officially diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, provided there is no other medical cause.
Before a woman goes through menopause, she first experiences perimenopause, which is when her body begins the transition to menopause. During this stage, her ovaries produce fewer hormones and her menstrual cycle becomes irregular. Perimenopause is known to last for years.
During perimenopause, your body begins to move towards the end of your reproductive years. This is a natural and normal progression; it brings forth a lot of physical and emotional symptoms. Some of these symptoms will either disrupt your life or make it uncomfortable. You may begin having menopause-like symptoms, such as hot flashes or irregular periods. If your menstrual cycle has stopped completely for 12 consecutive months, you have officially reached menopause.
Perimenopause can start as early as your mid-30s or as late as your mid-50s, but it usually occurs eight to ten years before menopause. Some women experience perimenopause for only a short time, while others experience it for several years.
Completing menopause before the age of 40 is referred to as premature menopause. It is not uncommon for certain medical conditions or procedures to cause early menopause. If there are no medical or surgical reasons for premature menopause, it’s called primary ovarian insufficiency.
It is important to note that while your menstrual cycles are unpredictable and your hormone levels are declining, you can still get pregnant in perimenopause.
The hormonal changes experienced during perimenopause are usually due to a decline in estrogen levels. Ovaries produce estrogen, which is an important hormone that helps to maintain the reproductive system. As this hormone decreases, it throws your reproductive system off balance with progesterone, another hormone your ovaries produce. This also means that your ovaries no longer release eggs due to little estrogen.
Perimenopause is a very important stage of the life cycle of a woman’s reproductive system; however, the recent wave of misinformation regarding this stage of life has exposed many vulnerable women to unexpected pregnancies, missed clinical diagnoses, unnecessary medications or medical procedures.
Here are 11 facts and debunked myths about perimenopause.
- Myth: There are no treatment methods to manage perimenopause and menopause symptoms
Fact: There is a wide range of evidence-based treatment methods for dealing with menopause-related symptoms - Myth: Every woman will have a terrible experience of perimenopause and menopause
Fact: Every woman experiences perimenopause and menopause differently. Around 1 in 4 women have few or no symptoms, and 1 in 2 experience mild to moderate symptoms. Around 1 in 4 women have severe symptoms that affect their daily life. - Myth: You only need to think about menopause in your 60s
Fact: Many women begin perimenopause in their 40s, and a few either experience early menopause before the age of 45 or premature ovarian insufficiency before the age of 40. Perimenopause can last for several years before your periods stop completely and you reach menopause. - Myth: Perimenopause is ‘pre-menopause’ and not an important stage of life of its own
Fact: Perimenopause is a specific phase of the menopause transition, noted by hormonal changes that can cause physical, mental and emotional symptoms even while your periods continue irregularly. The perimenopause stage can last up to 10 years and can begin a long while before menopause itself. Pre-menopause is not the same as perimenopause. - Myth: Hot flushes are the only menopause-related symptom
Fact: Although hot flushes are a common symptom, there are many others that can be connected to the menopause transition. Other symptoms are sleep problems, joint and muscle pain, brain fog or forgetfulness, mood changes, decreased libido (sexual desire), anxiety, vaginal dryness and bladder issues. - Myth: Perimenopause makes every woman moody and emotional
Fact: Although low moods and mood changes are regular signs of perimenopause, not every woman experiences them. It is important to know that these changes can be due to significant hormonal changes happening in your body. Your mood and emotional wellbeing are also affected by lifestyle factors like stress, sleep problems, caring or domestic load, and work. - Myth: You need a blood test to diagnose perimenopause
Fact: A doctor is usually able to diagnose perimenopause based on your age, symptoms and period history. It is not necessary to perform blood tests. Regardless, your doctor might order a few tests if they believe you might be experiencing early menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), or just to rule out any other health issues that could cause your symptoms (for example, fatigue can be caused by low iron). - Myth: You cannot fall pregnant during perimenopause
Fact: If your periods still continue, whether or not they are irregular, you can still get pregnant. You can consider using contraception until at least the end of perimenopause (12 months after your final period) if you don’t plan on getting to become pregnant. - Myth: Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT) is unsafe
Fact: Just like any other medicine, MHT has risks and benefits. It can be an effective treatment for symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, vaginal dryness, and to prevent bone loss. If you are healthy and at the expected age of menopause, the benefits of MHT outweigh the risks. Risk factors depend on things like your health history, the type of MHT, the timing and the dose.
10 Myth: Natural or complementary therapies are always safe
Fact: Just because something is ‘natural’ does not automatically make it safe or effective. Some herbal and other complementary medicines can interact negatively with prescribed medications or may not be suitable for people with certain medical conditions.
- Myth: Your quality of life will decline during menopause
Fact: Even though menopause-related symptoms can be challenging, many women have reported that they experience improved confidence, freedom, and focus after menopause.
