In the first few years of perimenopause, estrogen levels fluctuate, which can lead to a variety of physical and emotional symptoms.

Perimenopause ends at the start of menopause when the ovary stops producing eggs, and so during perimenopause, you can still become pregnant.

One of the biggest symptoms of perimenopause is irregular periods, where your menstrual cycles may lengthen or shorten, or become overall more erratic.

During the final two years of perimenopause, your estrogen production slows down rapidly. It's at this stage that many women start to experience symptoms of the menopause, like hot flushes and fatigue.

Since perimenopause is a new change in women’s lives, you may attribute symptoms of perimenopause (like increased anxiety and mood swings) to other factors in your life that may cause stress.