These stages refer to the time in your life when your reproductive hormone levels fluctuate and then drop to a point where you are no longer ovulating, and the production of hormones such as oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone in the ovaries dramatically reduces. 

 

Menopause can also occur through other ways such as undergoing certain surgical procedures, medical treatments or through a family history of early menopause.  

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Commonly this female milestone is referred to as menopause, but there are menopausal “stages” you may experience before you are considered officially menopausal – namely premenopause and perimenopause, and after, known as postmenopause.

 

Premenopause is the stage before perimenopause (although at times they are referred to as the same).  “Pre” refers to “before”, and this is term refers to the time before you start your menopausal journey. 

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Perimenopause.  The prefix “peri” means “about” or “around”.  Perimenopause therefore means – around menopause – that you are nearing the menopausal stage of your life.  As a term, it generally refers to the lead up to being considered officially menopausal – approximately 3-4 years – and during this time, reproductive and sex hormone levels start to drop and you may experience a variety of different symptoms.

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Menopause officially refers to the time when you have not had a period for 12 months or more.  You are then considered to be menopausal.  Prior to this, you are still considered to be perimenopausal.  

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Postmenopause (post = after) is the term that refers to the stage in your life after menopause.  During this time, you may continue to experience menopausal symptoms as a result of reduced oestrogen production in the body.

 

Although a natural biological process, menopause is also a period of adjustment and change - and as with any significant change in our lives, experiencing it can be challenging, overwhelming and sometimes difficult. 

 

Changes brought about by menopause can affect us both emotionally and physically.  You may experience feelings of grief, loss, irritability or overwhelm or your symptoms may be more physical such as fatigue, weight gain or hot flashes. 

 

Managing these changes can be stressful, especially if they interrupt our normal day to day functioning, and can leave us feeling frustrated and sometimes out of control.