Many Young Women Have Untreated Perimenopause. These Are the Signs

Perimenopause occurs in the years before menopause begins. This transitional phase is often marked by hormonal changes like a drop in estrogen, which can lead to a number of symptoms resembling menopause.

According to the authors of a new study published on February 25 in npj Women’s Health, over half of females ages 30 to 35 experience moderate to severe perimenopause symptoms.

The findings show the majority of perimenopausal females do not seek treatment for their symptoms. This could be due to the cultural stigma surrounding perimenopause and menopause in general.

The authors noted that perimenopausal females, as well as their doctors, often believe they are too young to be in menopause, so they dismiss their symptoms. When symptoms are left untreated, females may experience unnecessary difficulty, the authors say.

The researchers examined the problem by analyzing self-reported data from 4,432 females ages 30 and older, collected via an online survey and the Flo app.

In the age group 30 to 35, it was found that 55.4% reported what could be classified as being moderate to severe perimenopause symptoms. Additionally, among females ages 36 to 40, 64.3% reported symptoms.

Despite these findings, most females did not get treatment for their symptoms until they were 56 or older.

In fact, there was a wide disparity in the percentage of females getting treatment for perimenopausal symptoms based on age. Only 4.3% of females in the 30–35 age group had sought help. However, 51.5% of females 56 and older had consulted with a physician.

The team of researchers also found perimenopausal females were more likely to experience psychological symptoms such as:

These mood changes tended to occur before the onset of any physical symptoms of perimenopause, such as:

The symptoms most commonly associated with menopause, like sweating and hot flashes, were lowest among the women in the 30–35 age range and did not peak until age 51 or above.

The authors explained this information is essential since it broadens our understanding of the usual course of perimenopausal symptoms, allowing females to get assistance and find relief.

Naheed Rana, MD, a gynecologist with Oladoc, said that the average age of perimenopause is around 45, but the timing varies. “I’ve seen women start experiencing symptoms as early as their early to mid-30s,” she told Healthline. Rana wasn’t involved in the study.

Rana further noted that in many females, perimenopause happens gradually, so it’s easy to overlook the signs until it starts interfering with your daily life.

“Most women assume menopause is a 50s problem,” she explained, “so they chalk up symptoms to stress, aging, or lifestyle factors.”

Rana said common symptoms of perimenopause may include:

“Many women also deal with anxiety, irregular periods, and vaginal dryness, often without realizing these are hormonal changes,” Rana added. “I encourage women to seek help as soon as they start noticing these symptoms rather than ignoring them.”

Anticipating that many women are most interested in learning about hormone therapies, Betsy Greenleaf, MD, an instructor at BHRT Training Academy, told Healthline that hormone therapy can be a helpful resource. Greenleaf wasn’t involved in the study.

“It is important that [women] see a practitioner who knows and understands the intricacies of hormone therapy and who knows that hormones are a tool, not the panacea,” she said. “Too often, I see women overdosed or incorrectly dosed on hormones.”

Bruce Dorr, MD, senior medical advisor for Biote, explained that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves adding back the chemical messengers estrogen and progesterone that naturally decline during perimenopause and menopause. Dorr was likewise not involved in the study.

“When you consider the side effects and quality-of-life issues surrounding hormone loss, everyone should consider HRT,” he told Healthline.

Dorr noted that many females experience positive effects following HRT, such as improvements in heart, brain, and bone health, as well as mobility.

“HRT can be delivered in multiple forms including pellet therapy, transdermal therapy (through the skin) by either a patch, gel, spray or cream, and sublingual or buccal therapy (under the tongue or between the cheek and gum),” Dorr said.

Greenleaf added that a holistic approach, which may include hormone replacement therapy, may provide the most optimal results.

She suggested assessing for any stressors in your life. “[S]tress and sex hormones can’t co-exist,” she said.

Lifestyle changes can also make a big difference in how you feel. These might include:

• getting 7–8 hours of sleep
• staying hydrated
• eating healthy foods
• gentle exercise and resistance training
• stress-reducing activities such as meditation

Other options that can help ease perimenopausal discomfort may include:

Researchers report that many women ages 30 to 35 may be experiencing perimenopausal symptoms that are being left untreated. There appears to be a tendency to dismiss the symptoms because many people associate menopause with being older.

Perimenopausal females may be navigating uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog, mood changes, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irregular periods, and vaginal dryness.

Hormone replacement therapy can be helpful in some cases under the guidance of a medical professional. Lifestyle changes involving adequate sleep, hydration, nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction can also help you feel better.

Other people may find relief from lubricants, moisturizers, and pelvic floor exercises.