Each year, approximately 2 million women in the US enter perimenopause – the transitional phase leading up to menopause – yet perimenopause remains poorly understood and under-addressed in healthcare. A new study published January 31, 2025, surveyed 1,000 adults from the United States and Canada to evaluate their perceived familiarity with perimenopause timing, duration, and symptoms, as well as their satisfaction with treatment options and healthcare provider communication.
This eye-opening survey shows exactly where women stand when it comes to understanding this major life transition—and the results might surprise you. Here's what the researchers discovered:
Women were more likely to feel familiar with perimenopause than men, but here's the kicker: even though they're the ones going through it, many women still can't answer basic questions about timing, how long it lasts, or what symptoms to expect. The study found that familiarity responses were "roughly evenly divided between all familiarity choices," meaning knowledge is all over the map.
Perceived familiarity was dependent upon age, with older women clearly having the upper hand on perimenopause knowledge. But this creates a catch-22: by the time women really understand what's happening, they're already deep in the transition. Younger women approaching their 40s are basically flying blind.
The awareness and utilization of treatment options like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and non-hormonal alternatives vary significantly among women. The study revealed huge disparities in who knows about available treatments, suggesting that whether you get help depends more on luck than good healthcare guidance.
When researchers looked at women's satisfaction with healthcare provider communication, they found room for improvement. Many women reported feeling unprepared for perimenopause discussions with their doctors, highlighting a major gap between what women need to know and what they're actually being told.
The cross-sectional survey included 1,000 adults from the United States and Canada, and the patterns were strikingly similar across both countries. This suggests we're dealing with a widespread healthcare education issue that crosses borders—millions of North American women are navigating perimenopause without the information they need.
Source: Wegrzynowicz, A.K., Walls, A.C., Godfrey, M., Beckley, A. "Insights into Perimenopause: A Survey of Perceptions, Opinions on Treatment, and Potential Approaches." Women (MDPI), January 31, 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/women5010004