Learning Objectives:

•  Describe the 10 stages in the STRAW+10 staging of the menopause transition
•  Understand how Luteal Out Of Phase Cycles increase estrogen levels and contribute to cycle irregularity
•  Understand which lab values can be useful in evaluation of a perimenopausal patient

Menopause has its own language in the medical literature, and understanding the basic framework is important for reading the research, preparing for the Menopause Society exam, and interpreting labs for your patients. We begin with a review of reproductive hormones and their pre-menopausal cycles, then move into the hormonal changes during perimenopause, followed by post-menopausal physiology. Symptoms and presentation at each of the 10 stages are reviewed with explanations that support a clearer understanding of the STRAW+10 framework