The 3 stages of MENOPAUSE

From peri to post and all the ups and downs in between, we've got you covered

- Amber Bramble.

Women's health has traditionally been under-researched, but as the focus starts to shift we're starting to realise that the change of life is much more complicated than many of us thought. For one thing, menopause doesn't happen in just one act but in three. Here we take you through each of them...

1 PERIMENOPAUSE

As our ovaries wind down, our sex hormones also begin to peter out - but not before taking us on one last rollercoaster ride. This is known as perimenopause, and while it lasts an average of five years, it can range from just a few months to a decade.

This can be a turbulent time, although it may take a while to realise what's happening.

"Women can experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms that may interfere with an accurate diagnosis," says women's health specialist Dr Lesley Ramage.

Common symptoms include sleep disturbance, hot flushes, irregular periods, mood swings, night sweats, breast tenderness, poor concentration, aching joints, weight gain (often around the abdomen), dry itchy skin, vaginal dryness, low libido, migraines and increasingly severe PMS symptoms.

"One in five women will have very subtle symptoms, but most women will have some degree of disturbance," says Dr Ramage. "A further one in five women experience severe symptoms that have a major impact on their quality of life."

2 MENOPAUSE

The most famous stage is also the shortest - essentially, it's the moment when you are considered to have ceased menstruating.

"Menopause literally means the last period, so it is only one day," Dr Ramage explains.