Perimenopause Vs Menopause Vs Postmenopause
COMMON TERMS RELATING TO THE FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE
MENARCHE:
This is the age of beginning of 1st menstrual period.
The average girl will get her first period around 12 years old, but it varies from person to person.
PRE-MENOPAUSE:
This is the time between a woman’s first period and the onset of not having periods again. Meaning from Menarche to Menopause (see definition of menopause as you read down).
PERIMENOPAUSE:
This is the transition phase into menopause. It can that lasts for some years. It typically occurs in women around 45years to 55years.
It is NATURAL part of a woman’s life due to drop in the female hormones and you begin to see changes such as difference in flow and length of the menstrual cycle.
MENOPAUSE:
Menopause is when a woman stops having periods. Menopause means ‘the last menstrual period’.
People who also also identify as women with some body and sex variations and changes such as transgender men, non-binary people and intersex people may also experience menopause.
Menopause is also a NATURAL part of the reproductive cycle. Mean age for this varies but in the U.K. it is 51years.
EARLY MENOPAUSE:
This is a loose term for when a woman’s periods stop before the age of 45. It can happen naturally or due to other medical conditions.
There are other technical terms such as Primary Ovarian insufficiency etc.
POSTMENOPAUSE:
This is the time after a woman experiences her last period. A woman can be said to be postmenopausal when she has not had a period for at least 12 months.
🏵️There is no requirement to age gracefully, no matter what society says.
🏵️Humans are living vastly longer than previous generations so be warned, one can expect to spend 30 years in the Perimenopausal or Postmenopausal stage!
🏵️The multiple transitions throughout a women’s different life stages are growth, and growth is typically uncomfortable and painful.
🏵️Many underestimate the significantly beneficial effects of good mental and physical health prior to starting menopause.
🏵️Regular exercise has a large benefit on improved mood and self-worth through menopause; lasting into post menopause.
🏵️Anxiety and depression rates significantly increase in menopause, partly due to hormonal changes but also related to changes around purpose and identity changes.
🏵️Those with lower rates of physical activity showed higher rates of depressive symptoms, higher rates or lifestyle diseases and higher rates of uncontrolled chronic medical disorders.
🏵️There is no medication that 100% safe or whose effects can be guaranteed, but the understanding of HRT and its effects on the body have changed significantly in the last two decades.
🏵️Genito-urinary symptoms of menopause are more common later in menopause and worsen over time due to the prolonged lack of oestrogen effect on the tissues.
🏵️Men also undergo a process of a drop in hormones and ageing of the body. Society doesn’t discuss or allow for this process to be accepted or discussed. Encourage the men in your life to seek knowledge and assistance if needed.
Summary:
Premenopause- Periods are present. Peak reproductive years.
Perimenopause- Drop in Oestrogen. Start experiencing symptoms of menopause. Count down to menopause.
Menopause: Declined oestrogen. Eggs are no longer produced. Periods stop.
All these 3 are NORMAL phases women go through.
Hot flashes you can easily cool yourself down. Vagina dryness there are plenty of lubricants in the market. Hair thinning is the worst thing for women going through menopause.
I hope this basic definitions help.
Contributions:
Dr Subrayan
Dr Pepple
