Perimenopause refers to a state when a woman’s body transits into menopause, which begins just a few years before the actual menopause starts. During this time, the ovaries will gradually slow down its production of estrogen.
Usually, the perimenopause phase starts when a woman reaches the age of 40. However, there are some rare cases where a woman begin their perimenopause phase in their thirties or earlier. This phase will go on until the woman reaches menopause, at which point, the female body can no longer release eggs for reproduction.
Here are 10 common signs and symptoms of perimenopause.
1. Change in the Menstrual Cycle
Change in menstrual cycle is one of the first signs of perimenopause. In the perimenopause stage, once the estrogen level will go down, there will be changes that will take place in the menstrual cycle, which can lead to irregular menstruation. For some women, their menstruation will get lighter and some will experience much heavier bleeding.
It is also common for women in their perimenopause to get menstruation even after several months of not having it. So if you are having irregular menstruation and are already at the premenopausal age, it is best to see your doctor. Your gynecologist can check if the reason behind your irregular menstrual bleeding is only because of perimenopause and not due to some life-threatening conditions like cancer.
