Women’s reproductive journeys are bookended by two major events—the beginning of their periods as pre-teens, and the end of their cycles in mid-life. But the latter comes as a surprise to many women, who find themselves under-equipped to understand and manage the years of symptoms that can precede menopause.
Clearblue, known for its self tests for pregnancy and fertility, now has a test that can assess which stage of menopause a woman is experiencing. The company says the new test will raise awareness about recognizing symptoms of menopause and help women understand what they mean.
However, not all women’s health experts are convinced that such an at-home test is necessary. Here’s why:
- The test measures levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in urine over 10 days, but FSH levels can fluctuate widely before menopause, making readings difficult to interpret
- Even if women learn they are in perimenopause, that stage can last for years, and doesn’t indicate when they will actually hit menopause, which is defined as missing 12 consecutive menstrual cycle.
- Most doctors can diagnose perimenopause and menopause without this sort of test, based on symptoms including irregular or heavy cycles, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes. Addressing these symptoms should be the priority, and they don’t require a test to identify, say experts.
