Managing Your Menopause Type^® Educational Class

Session One - Redefining Menopause

Estradiol Activity & Changes

How estradiol can change due to menopause.

Estradiol (the most potent estrogen) has a familiar monthly pattern. The monthly cycle begins with the follicular phase, which is followed by the midcycle, then the luteal phase.

The beginning of the estradiol cycle is the follicular phase, which represents the baseline levels of estradiol before estradiol levels are increase with and after ovulation. The midcycle spike is associated with ovulation. Note that estradiol levels are higher during the luteal phase than in the follicular phase.

Estradiol activity in the younger premenopause female is so well defined that the plotting of estradiol levels (yellow line) can be used to evaluate fertility¹.

During the perimenopause there are often erratic shifts and unpredictable spikes of hormones (red line), including estradiol^{1, 2, 3}.

Hormones may actually fluctuate back and forth between pre-menopause and post-menopause levels⁴.

These fluctuations can cause migraine headaches, weight gain, mood changes, and bleeding irregularities in both perimenopause and postmenopause women ^{3, 5, 6, 7}.

In postmenopause, estradiol fluctuations are less severe than during perimenopause, but will continue for years after menopause¹ .

What this means to you

You may still have minor estradiol fluctuations long after the extreme fluctuations of perimenopause have decreased. Once you have completely passed into postmenopause you may always have low estradiol levels, or they may always be adequate, or they may fluctuate into and below ideal range. Knowing your estradiol levels will help you determine your Menopause Type^®, and make informed choices about how to decrease risks for disease and enhance the quality of your life.

What's Next?

The next slide shows the changes that may occur with the hormone progesterone.

The Managing Your Menopause Type^® Educational Class is provided to the public without charge. This information is provided for educational purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe treatment. Consult a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.