Common symptoms
- •Heavier, lighter or irregular periods
- •Night sweats, hot flushes, sleep disruption
- •New or worse anxiety, mood swings, low mood
- •Brain fog, word-finding trouble
- •Stubborn weight around the middle
- •Joint aches, dry skin, hair changes
- •Low libido, vaginal dryness
What drives it
- •Natural decline in ovarian function (age 35–55)
- •Progesterone drops first; estrogen becomes erratic
- •Often layered on top of thyroid changes and insulin resistance
Testing approach
A single hormone test in perimenopause can mislead — levels fluctuate. We pair sex hormones with thyroid, metabolic, adrenal and nutrient markers so the picture holds together regardless of cycle day.
What to do next
- ✓Confirm where you actually are with a full panel — not a single estradiol
- ✓Optimise sleep, strength training and protein intake before symptoms escalate
- ✓Discuss HRT timing with a specialist while you're still in the window of best benefit
Frequently asked
Most women enter perimenopause in their early 40s, but cycles can begin shifting from the late 30s. Average length is 4–8 years before periods stop entirely.
On its own, no — hormones fluctuate. Symptoms plus a pattern across estradiol, progesterone, FSH and thyroid markers is far more reliable than a single number.
HRT is one tool among several. our health specialists reviews your symptoms, results and goals before discussing whether and when HRT makes sense for you.
Sleep disruption, new anxiety, shorter cycles or heavier bleeds, and stubborn weight around the middle are the most common early signals — often years before hot flushes appear.
Most women spend 4–8 years in perimenopause; some 10+. It ends at menopause — defined as 12 consecutive months without a period.
Yes — ovulation still happens, just less predictably. Contraception is recommended until 12 months without a period (or age 55 if you're on HRT).
Average gain is 0.5 kg/year in the transition, but it's not inevitable. Strength training, protein-forward eating and sleep recovery flatten the curve dramatically.
References
- NICE — Menopause guideline (NG23)— Perimenopause & menopause diagnosis and management
- British Menopause Society (BMS)— Evidence-based menopause care for doctors and patients
- Jean Hailes for Women's Health— Perimenopause and menopause consumer health guidance
- RANZCOG — Menopause and postmenopause position statement— HRT and menopause management in ANZ clinical practice
References are provided for educational context only. Her Form is not affiliated with these organisations. Always interpret results with a qualified healthcare professional.