Many Women Still Confused About Perimenopause
Peri-What?!
A new large-scale study found that one in three women are not aware or sure they are in perimenopause.
A new study published in the journal Menopause, a journal of The Menopause Society, involving more than 7,600 US women aged 35 years and older evaluated the level of uncertainty regarding awareness of perimenopause. Overall, one in three (34%) of participants reported being unsure of their reproductive stage. Uncertainty varied by age and symptom severity, peaking at 42% in those aged 40 to 44 years, and 37% in those with severe symptom burden.
With many women starting their efforts to conceive at a later age than in decades past, this could and often does have a major impact on family building and recognizing and addressing the symptoms of perimenopause.
Perimenopause, the transitional period leading up to the final menstrual period, is a window of time between reproduction and menopause (a woman’s last menstrual period). There are roughly two million women in this window, which can last up to 8 years or more. For some, it will begin in their late forties; for others, it can begin in the late thirties. It’s more about transition than age.
And it can be very symptomatic, with many menopause symptoms actually beginning in perimenopause when hormone levels begin to fluctuate, much like they did in puberty…only backward.
Those menopause symptoms can affect a woman’s well-being, with more than half (59%–65%) experiencing hot flashes as well as psychological or sensitive bladder symptoms that can impair daily functioning, diminish quality of life, and reduce work productivity.
Many times, healthcare providers are confused as well, addressing symptoms such as mood swings, palpitations, senistive bladder and other symptoms as the issue rather than recognizing these symptoms as all being under the umbrella of perimenopause. These symptoms also overlap with a wide range of other conditions, including premenstrual syndrome, thyroid disease, and mental health conditions.
If you are experiencing changes in your periods, or other changes in your body and mind, talk with your healthcare provider about perimenopause. While your menopause symptoms may be due to other reasons, perimenopause should at least be one of the conditions to consider. Treatment can provide you with an enormous improvement in your quality of life.
The article is entitled “Exploring prevalence and drivers of perimenopause uncertainty among US Women: a mixed-methods study.”
