Perimenopause and menopause are two stages of the same natural change, but they are not the same thing. Perimenopause is the transition that leads up to menopause, when hormone levels start to shift and periods become less predictable. Menopause is the single point when you have gone 12 months in a row without a period. Knowing which stage you are in can make the changes in your body easier to understand.
What is perimenopause?
Perimenopause often begins in your mid-40s, though it can start in your late 30s or early 40s for some women. During this time, your estrogen levels rise and fall unevenly instead of following a steady pattern. That is why periods may come closer together, spread further apart, or skip altogether. Perimenopause can last several years, sometimes as long as eight. One important point: you can still get pregnant during perimenopause, so birth control still matters if you are not trying to conceive.
Menopause vs postmenopause
You officially reach menopause once you have gone a full 12 months without a period. The average age is around 51, and most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. After that milestone, you enter postmenopause, the stage that continues for the rest of your life. By this point, hormone levels have settled at a lower, steadier place.
