In this video, Dr. Marcie Richardson talks about how hormones start to change in our 40s.
She explains that historically the term perimenopause has been used to describe the time when women have had skipped periods or irregular cycles. She then shares that the first sign of changing hormonal patterns is when periods come closer together (i.e. shortening cycles). Learn more about changing hormones here. Full transcript below.
Dr. Richardson is an ob-gyn who has been treating women as they navigate the menopause transition for 25 years. She is the Director of the Menopause Clinic at Atrius Health and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Harvard Medical School.
This is one of ten videos, for the rest select video on the main page of the blog.
Transcript
Welcome to Interviews with experts, today we share a clip from our interview with Dr. Marcie Richardson, an Obstetrician/Gynecologist. Dr. Richardson is also the Director of The Menopause Center at Atrius Health and an Assistant Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School.
When do hormones start to change?
In this clip, Dr. Richardson talks about how the start of perimenopause has historically been defined and then she discusses when hormones actually start to change.
For years people just said perimenopause was the time before menopause and up to a year after the final menstrual period. Scientists have gotten together to try to define perimenopause more specifically and they attribute it to the time when women start having menstrual irregularity.
When do hormonal patterns actually start to change?
I always tell women that as they enter their 40s is that the first thing they are going to notice that their periods are coming closer together and that’s the first sign that ovarian reserve is diminishing.
So a woman who is having regular periods, still get a period every month, could be having some hormonal changes of perimenopause?
I think that what we can say is her hormones are changing.
But the point is she would likely be experiencing some symptoms?
Absolutely! Absolutely!
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