Common Symptoms Of Perimenopause

Age has a significant impact on female fertility and lots of women are worried about having children before menopause. Menopause is a natural part of ageing and due to the changes in the balance of hormones in later life, women no longer have periods or release an egg each month, preventing them from being able to conceive naturally. 

If you would like to start a family and you’re worried about menopause preventing you from being able to do so, it can be beneficial to look out for the signs and symptoms of perimenopause. Perimenopause is the period before menopause, it usually lasts for anywhere between four to eight years and during this time, your fertility will start declining. You can still get pregnant during perimenopause though and booking a female fertility test will enable you to learn more about your current fertility as well as the health and quality of your eggs. 

To help anyone worried about being able to have a baby due to the impact age has on female fertility, below we have listed some of the most common symptoms of perimenopause. 

Irregular periods

For many women, the first sign of perimenopause is a change in their normal menstrual cycle. It isn’t uncommon for women to go from having a regular and predictable cycle to missing periods and this can be an indicator that their body is no longer producing as much oestrogen. Sometimes, the periods you have will be lighter or heavier than they normally are too. 

Changes in mood

Your hormones can have an impact on your mood and during perimenopause, lots of women will experience mood changes, often referred to as mood swings. Feeling more irritable or anxious can be a sign of perimenopause and when their body’s hormones start to change, some women will also experience low moods, resulting in them becoming depressed. 

Hot flushes 

Hot flushes are commonly associated with menopause, however, they can also affect women before their periods have fully stopped. As the name suggests, hot flushes are sudden feelings of heat and they usually affect the face and chest. Often, these flushes will only be short and sometimes, women will experience heart palpitations at the same time. 

Reduced libido 

Everyone’s sex drive is different, yet it is fairly common for women to experience a loss of libido during perimenopause. Again, this is due to the reduction in sex hormones being produced and you may find that you start lacking a desire for sex. Things such as stress, anxiety and exhaustion can also cause a loss of libido at this time too. 

Vaginal dryness 

Anything that causes a change in your hormone levels can have a direct impact on how much vaginal discharge or fluid you have. For this reason, lots of women will suffer from vaginal dryness during perimenopause and they experience pain and itching in and around their vagina. Vaginal dryness can also cause discomfort during sex. 

Sleep issues

Some women will notice a difference in their sleeping habits during perimenopause and they will find it hard to get to sleep at night, wake up several times during the night or wake up early even though they’re still tired. Insomnia can cause you to feel tired and irritable during the day, and it can sometimes affect your concentration as well. 

Visiting a fertility clinic in Milton Keynes

Whilst perimenopause symptoms can vary from one woman to another, the vast majority will experience at least one of the symptoms above. If you think you may be perimenopausal and you’d like to learn more about your current fertility, contact our expert team at London IVF and Genetics Centre today. At our fertility clinic in Milton Keynes, we can provide you with a comprehensive fertility test, helping you to understand more about your fertility and the chances of you being able to get pregnant naturally. We can also provide you with a vast range of fertility treatments and support you every step of the way on your fertility journey. 

At London IVF and Genetics Centre, we pride ourselves on providing an excellent standard of care to our patients and our success rates far exceed the national average. Our highly experienced team knows that every patient has a unique situation and we offer a bespoke fertility service, designing treatment plans that are personalised to your circumstances, wishes and beliefs. We can assure you that you will be in the best hands when you visit our fertility clinic in Milton Keynes and our team will sincerely care about your outcome.