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What is perimenopause?

What is perimenopause?

Article reviewed and validated by :

Vanessa Hamoniaux
Vanessa Hamoniaux
Physician specializing in women's health

Perimenopause is a gradual shift in hormone levels that typically begins around the age of 35 and continues until menopause is reached. It is not an abrupt hormonal crisis or an unexpected onset of menopause. Instead, perimenopause represents a slow and steady adjustment of the hormonal system, reflecting a gradual adaptation to these changes.

Perimenopause describes all the stages of the onset of hormonal fluctuations up until its stabilisation after menopause, called postmenopause

It goes far beyond a simple drop in hormones; it's a complex rearrangement of the hormonal system. There are also fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels, cortisol, the thyroid, and even in sleep regulation. It's a total reconfiguration of the neuroendocrine system: the brain, glands, and tissues are relearning how to communicate with each other. Nothing stops, everything rebalances.

This significant life stage, common to all women, deserves greater understanding and attention, yet it continues to be misunderstood and neglected.

Explanatory diagram of perimenopause

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