Perimenopause typically begins about 3 to 5 years before menopause. This stage of perimenopause continues for up to a year after a woman’s last period and can last up to 8 years in some women. During this stage, Women’s estrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuateleading to mood changes, irregular menstrual cycles, and other menopausal symptoms.
Around menopause, an increased feeling of depression
The studya meta-analysis of 7 studies involving a total of 9,141 participants, from around the world (including Australia, the United States, China, the Netherlands and Switzerland) sought to understand whether different stages of menopause were associated with different levels of risk of depression. Symptoms were measured using standardised self-report scales, including the Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-9 (which takes into account factors such as lack of interest in doing things, sleep disturbances and mood disturbances). This large analysis found that:
- perimenopausal women have a significantly higher risk, increased by approximately 40%, of experiencing depressive symptoms and being diagnosed with depression -vs postmenopausal women;
Lead author Dr Roopal Desai from UCL Psychology & Language Sciences said: “This study shows that women in the perimenopausal phase are significantly more likely to suffer from depression than before or after this stage. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing that women at this stage of life are more vulnerable to depression. It is therefore not only a question of better diagnose depression during this stage of life patients but also to be able to provide support to women in order to help them respond effectively to their mental health needs.”
“We need greater awareness among doctors to ensure that as they approach menopause, patients receive appropriate help and care.”
