Perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause: what is the difference?
Short answer: menopause is your last period. You only know it afterwards: after 12 months without a period. Perimenopause is the time before it, when your cycle becomes irregular and symptoms like hot flushes start. After that you are postmenopausal. In the UK and the Netherlands the average age of the last period is around 51.
Perimenopause
In the years before your last period your hormones start to swing. Your cycle gets shorter, longer or irregular, your bleeding heavier or lighter. Many women also notice hot flushes, poorer sleep, mood changes or trouble concentrating. It can start in your 40s, sometimes earlier. Read perimenopause in your 30s.
Menopause
Menopause is one moment: your very last period. After 12 months without a period you look back and know when it was. For women over 45, doctors usually recognise it from your age and symptoms. A blood test is usually not needed.
Postmenopause
After those 12 months you are postmenopausal. Some symptoms ease, others, like vaginal dryness, can stay or even start. Bleeding at this stage is never normal: always see your GP.
Early menopause
If your last period comes between 40 and 45, it is called early menopause. Before 40 it is called premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). If you have menopause symptoms and are under 45, see your GP.
How do you know where you are?
Your cycle tells you most. Log for a few months how long your cycles are, how you bleed and which symptoms you have. An overview of 3 to 6 months is exactly what your GP wants to see.
In PERIOD.
In PERIOD., choose Perimenopause or Menopause under "Where are you now?". You can then log hot flushes, symptoms and bleeding, and read what belongs to perimenopause. That is free. Your cycle history comes with you; you never start over.
Sources: NHS, Menopause and Perimenopause; NICE NG23; Thuisarts.nl (NHG), Overgang. This article is general information, not medical advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause?
Perimenopause is the time before your last period. Menopause is that last period itself, confirmed after 12 months without a period.
At what age does menopause happen?
On average around 51. Symptoms can start years earlier.
Do you need a blood test to know you are in perimenopause?
For women over 45 usually not: your GP looks at your age, your cycle and your symptoms.
Is bleeding after menopause normal?
No. Always see your GP if you bleed after 12 months without a period.
Want to see how your cycle is changing? Download PERIOD. on the App Store or on Google Play.
