CMO Message: Understanding Menopause & Perimenopause

Nearly a decade of a woman’s life could be spent transitioning to menopause. This is one of the most challenging life stages and is often misunderstood and trivialized.

Menopause is reached when one year has passed since a woman’s last menstrual period. Perimenopause is the transitional time before that when reproductive hormones start to change, impacting the menstrual cycle and fertility. Just because these changes are a normal part of a woman’s life, you might feel anything but normal.

While symptoms like hot flashes and irregular periods are well-known, everyone experiences perimenopause differently. Physical symptoms could include thinning hair, weight gain, joint pain, change in libido, vaginal dryness, and urinary issues. Cognitive and emotional symptoms can range from irritability to severe mood changes, brain fog, memory lapses, and poor sleep. Further, risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease increases.

One more significant change during this transition is that you’ll need your first mammogram earlier than you probably expected. The updated recommended age for women of average risk of breast cancer to start screening is now age 40, instead of 50. If you are at higher risk for breast cancer such as if you have a relative with cancer history, you might need screening even earlier.

All this is occurring at a time in life when many women are not only working hard to advance their careers but also serving as caregivers to children and elderly family members. Finding time to take care of yourself might feel like the last priority but it has to be the first. Don’t be afraid to seek out medical support for both physical and mental health. Have an open conversation with your doctor about how you are feeling and be sure to ask whether there are any medications, supplements, therapies, or lifestyle adjustments that can help.

As daunting as perimenopause and menopause might be, remember that you don’t have to power through it alone and UnitedAg is here to support you.

You're invited to a 30-minute interactive session with CMO Dr. Rosemary Ku on Thursday, February 20th, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. to learn more about Menopause & Perimenopause.