Perimenopause symptoms in the 30s & 40s
- Jennie Lai
- Jun 13
- 2 min read
Latest research published in npj Women’s Health shows the menopause transition (also known as perimenopause) and its symptoms can start as early as the 30s. Most women typically begin perimenopause between ages 45 and 55 according to the National Institute on Aging.
Perception vs reality of perimenopause symptoms
A recent survey reported that women in their 30s and early 40s are experiencing perimenopause symptoms earlier than expected. Over 50% of the study participants reported moderate or severe symptoms starting in their early to mid 30s.
What to take away from the reality of perimenopause symptoms
The survey was conducted by Flo Health and University of VA with 4,432 U.S. women age 30 and older. They used the widely-recognized Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to measure the severity of 11 different menopause symptoms across physical, psychological, and cognitive categories.
Key takeaway 1: More women experience severe symptoms as they get older. 55% of women age 30-35 reported moderate or severe categories, compared to 64% of women age 36-40. They also experienced mental health symptoms like anxiety, depression before physical symptoms like hot flashes, sweating.
Key takeaway 2: More women seek medical help as they get older. 30% of women age 30-45 consulted a doctor about perimenopause, yet most women often waited until their 50s to seek medical help when their symptoms were more severe.
Key takeaway 3: Early recognition of perimenopause symptoms is important. Seeking medical help for diagnosis and treatment sooner can reduce the severity of symptoms and improve quality of life.
Interested to learn more? Check out their published article in npj Women’s Health.
What to take away from the perception of perimenopause symptoms
A recent survey on women’s perception of perimenopause was conducted by Ohio State University with 1,068 U.S. women in February 2025. The data represent the population of US female adults age 18 and older.
Misconception of when symptoms can start. The survey found “61% believe they will hit menopause in their 40s. When, in fact, some will start to experience symptoms as early as their 30s, and most women won’t see menopause start until their early 50s.”
Mental health is a top concern especially for younger women. Other concerns include long term health effects of menopause.
Bottomline: The authors noted: “It’s important not to ignore symptoms just because of your age… perimenopause is not a universal experience.”
Interested to learn more? Check out their press release to learn more about women’s perception of perimenopause from the survey.