Perimenopause Health Check

Perimenopause is the stretch before your last period when hormones start fluctuating rather than declining steadily. It can begin in your late thirties or your late forties, and it can last anywhere from a few months to a decade. Irregular or heavier periods, hot flushes, night sweats, disrupted sleep, mood changes, brain fog, joint aches, changes in skin and hair, and a shift in energy or libido are all commonly reported. Menopause itself is defined as twelve months without a period, at an average age of around 51 in Australia.

The difficulty is that almost every one of those symptoms overlaps with something else. An underactive thyroid, low iron from heavier bleeding, or ordinary chronic stress can produce a near-identical picture. Testing hormones on their own tells you only part of the story, which is why this panel checks thyroid function and iron in the same draw.

It's also why timing matters more here than in almost any other blood test. Hormones in perimenopause move week to week, so a sample taken on the wrong day of your cycle can look reassuringly normal or alarmingly abnormal for reasons that have nothing to do with where you are in the transition. The collection guidance below is specific for that reason, and it's worth following closely.

Results are markers relevant to your hormonal, thyroid and iron status. Because perimenopause is assessed from your symptoms and cycle history as well as your bloods, these results are best read alongside both, and discussed with your doctor - particularly if you're considering or already taking hormone replacement therapy. i-screen does not prescribe HRT.