Plain-language explainer

Perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause: which words fit your pattern?

The words get used interchangeably, but they describe different things. Answer up to three questions about your cycle and get the terminology explained for a pattern like yours: what the stage words mean, what typically happens in them, and what is worth discussing with a doctor.

1. Over the last 12 months, have you had menstrual periods?

Yes, I still have periodsNo, none for 12 months or moreHard to tell (contraception, hormonal coil, hysterectomy or ablation)

Sources

Menopause: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment NHS, 2024Menopause is dated after 12 consecutive months without a period.
Menopause: identification and management (NG23) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, 2024
Executive summary of the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop +10 Harlow SD et al, Menopause, 2012The staging framework the plain-language stage descriptions draw on.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-16