The Fact
Perimenopause can involve irregular ovulation, fluctuating estrogen levels, and reduced progesterone production. Estrogen does not necessarily fall in a smooth, straight line.
What This Means
A single hormone measurement can miss the broader pattern of hormonal fluctuation during perimenopause. Symptoms can occur while hormone levels are changing unpredictably rather than simply remaining “low.”
Sources
- Prior, Jerilynn C. “Perimenopause: The Complex Endocrinology of the Menopausal Transition.” Endocrine Reviews 19, no. 4 (1998): 397–428. https://doi.org/10.1210/edrv.19.4.0341