Perimenopause

The period of time before and for a year after the final menstrual period during which ovarian hormonal patterns, experiences and sociocultural roles change. The average age at which irregular cycles develop is approximately age 47. Perimenopause probably begins several years before that in women with regular cycles whose ovaries are making higher amounts of estrogen and tending to make lower amounts of progesterone. Like menopause, this is a normal part of a woman’s life cycle.