Staging by cycles, not by hormones
The Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) criteria that clinicians use are based on menstrual pattern, because hormone levels swing too much during the transition to be useful. Cycle length varying by seven days or more marks early perimenopause; a gap of sixty days or more marks late perimenopause; twelve months without a period confirms menopause in hindsight.
The calculator applies those rules to your age, the months since your last period, and how your cycles have behaved over the last year. It also flags the two timing situations that change the advice: no periods for a year before 40, and menopause between 40 and 44.
Using the result
A stage helps you and a clinician talk about the same thing. For symptom severity, the menopause symptom score gives a structured number; for a rough sense of timing, the menopause age calculator; for sleep specifically, the menopause sleep quiz. Logging periods through the transition in Femora makes the cycle pattern obvious rather than remembered.
Frequently asked questions
What are the stages of menopause?
Clinicians use the STRAW+10 system. Late reproductive: regular cycles with subtle changes. Early perimenopause: cycle length varying by 7 days or more. Late perimenopause: gaps of 60 days or more. Menopause: the final period, confirmed only after 12 months without one. Postmenopause: everything after that. The whole transition typically lasts 4 to 8 years.
How do I know if I am in perimenopause?
The defining sign is a change in cycle length: consecutive cycles that differ by a week or more, when they used to be regular. Hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption, mood changes, and vaginal dryness commonly appear alongside. Blood tests are unreliable during perimenopause because hormones swing day to day, so the diagnosis is based on age and cycle pattern.
At what age does perimenopause start?
Most commonly in the mid to late forties, with menopause itself at an average age of 51. Starting before 45 is called early; before 40 it is premature ovarian insufficiency and needs assessment. Smoking brings the timing forward by a year or two; the age your mother reached menopause is a rough guide.
Do I still need contraception in perimenopause?
Yes. Ovulation becomes irregular but does not stop until menopause. Guidance is to continue contraception until 12 months after the last period if you are over 50, or 24 months after if you are under 50.
What if I bleed after 12 months without a period?
Any bleeding after menopause is confirmed should be assessed by a clinician promptly. It is often benign, for example vaginal dryness or a polyp, but it is the main early sign of endometrial cancer, which is very treatable when caught early.
These calculators give estimates based on cycle averages and standard formulas. They are for general information only and are not medical advice. For anything concerning your health or pregnancy, talk to a qualified healthcare provider.