Late Perimenopause

During late perimenopause, your periods become more irregular.

You will begin to skip menstrual cycles. So, you may have a gap of two, three or four months between your periods.

Once you have gone 60 days or more without having a menstrual period, you are now in late perimenopause.

For some of you, your periods may also become lighter.

This phase may last 1 to 3 (or 4) years.

My Menopause SA

Evidence-based menopause information for South African women.

Page last reviewed: 1 March 2026
Next review due: 1 March 2027

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All Understanding Perimenopause & Menopause

References

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Bulun, S. E. (2016). Chapter 17-Physiology and Pathology of the Female Reproductive Axis. In S. Melmed, K. S. Polonsky, P. R. Larsen, & H. M. Kronenberg (Eds), Williams Textbook of Endocrinology (Thirteenth Edition) (pp. 589-663). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-29738-7.00017-4

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Delamater, L., & Santoro, N. (2018). Management of the Perimenopause. (Pt 419-432.). Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 61(3). https://doi.org/10.1097/GRF.0000000000000389

McCarthy, M., & Raval, A. P. (2020). The peri-menopause in a woman’s life: A systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease. Journal of Neuroinflammation, 17(1), 317. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-020-01998-9

Santoro N. (2016). Perimenopause: From Research to Practice. Journal of women’s health (2002), 25(4), 332-339. Https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2015.5556 (Pt 332-339.). Journal of Women’s Health, 25(4). https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2015.5556