Menopause happens when we stop menstruating. Because we don’t know we’ve stopped our periods until we don’t come back, we count it as a year after our last period. By that time our bodies are making very little estrogen or progesterone, and the levels are constant. If you bleed after this point you should see a doctor, just in case.
Perimenopause is the period before menopause when our hormones are fluctuating. For many of us, this is the most challenging part and it tends to happen in our late thirties or early forties when we’re busiest with our careers and our families. Sometimes this only lasts a couple of years – for others, it lasts for more than ten. Hanging on in there may not be a great option!
Post-menopause is after we have passed the point of menopause. We will be postmenopausal for the rest of our lives.
Some of us have a much earlier menopause for natural or medical reasons.
World Menopause Day Email
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