For Black women, navigating the midlife transition often comes with unique layers of complexity, as systemic barriers, cultural nuances, and symptom confusion can make getting clear answers especially difficult.
About one in three women over 35 is unsure whether she’s in perimenopause — and researchers say symptom confusion is a major reason why.
A team led by Yihan Xu, from Flo Health Inc. in London, surveyed more than 7,600 U.S. women, and 34 percent said they were unsure of their reproductive stage. That uncertainty peaked at 42 percent among women ages 40 to 44.
Perimenopause is the transitional period leading up to a woman’s final menstrual cycle. During this time, the main female hormone in your body rises and falls, causing your periods to become longer or shorter.
It often begins in a woman’s mid-40s, but it can start earlier and last four to eight years.
Common symptoms include hot flashes, mood changes, vaginal dryness and recurring urinary tract infections, which often affect quality of life. Your body may also skip ovulation, the process in which your ovaries release an egg.
In addition to age, other common risk factors for perimenopause, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
If you have thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune diseases, you may also develop menopause earlier.
RELATED: Q&A: Help Me Deal With Perimenopause
More than half of respondents (56 percent) said they struggled to tell whether changes they were experiencing were caused by perimenopause or something else.
There is no definitive lab test for perimenopause, researchers said, and symptoms can overlap with conditions such as premenstrual syndrome, thyroid disease and mental health conditions.
“Symptom confusion, misconceptions and barriers to care are leaving many women without the clarity and support they need during the menopause transition,” said study co-author Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.
The goal, the authors said, is to move beyond searching for a diagnosis and instead provide women with the information, validation and support they need.
The study was recently published in the journal Menopause.
If you are over 35 and wondering whether the changes you are experiencing are related to perimenopause, managing the transition can be difficult due to symptom overlap with other conditions. The following actionable tips can help you gain insight and manage your health:
While irregular periods are common in perimenopause and often not a cause of concern, they can cause complications in some cases, according to the Mayo Clinic. You should seek professional help if:
These symptoms may mean there’s an issue with your reproductive health that needs diagnosis and treatment. If you have gone 12 months without a period and then start bleeding, tell your healthcare professional. You could have a health issue that needs attention.
Managing the midlife transition doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Through understanding the signs, tracking your body’s patterns, and speaking up for yourself with medical professionals, you can cut through the confusion. Remember that you do not have to deal with these changes alone—gaining knowledge and expert support is the most liberating step you can take toward protecting your long-term health and quality of life.
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