The Menopause/Perimenopause Quiz

Menopause occurs in more than 3 million cases per year according to the Mayo Clinic. All women go through it, but when it happens varies person to person. What do you know about menopause? We put together this quick video quiz to test your knowledge.

Lesser known to most is perimenopause, which leads us to first question of this quiz.

What is perimenopause?

Is it a) something that happens after a woman goes through menopause? b) something that happens several years before menopause? c) a type of menopause that is more severe than normal menopause? d) a type of menopause that is less severe than normal menopause?

If you picked b) something that happens several years before menopause, you are right. It’s the time when ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen and continues until a woman enters menopause. Many of the menopausal symptoms start appearing when a woman is perimenopausal, leading some to panic into believing they’re actually in menopause.

Can you get pregnant during perimenopause

Yes or no, which do you think it is? If you said you can’t get pregnant, then you would be wrong because you can. If a woman is still getting periods, she can still get pregnant. It’s not as easy as you get older, but it does happen.

Ready for the next question? This one might be a little harder.

What celebrity recently opened up to People Magazine about her experience with perimenopause?

No, it’s not Angelina Jolie, although this celebrity did call her “very courageous” for her decision to combat potential breast cancer. The choices are a) Gillian Anderson b) Jennifer Aniston c) Chandra Wilson or d) Kristin Bell.

Need a clue? The Truth Is Out There. Yes, it’s Gillian Anderson. She battled depression for decades, going to different doctors to no effect until meeting with a menopause specialist. Gillian wants the stigma of menopause to go away, so women can have these conversations without shame.

We’re about halfway through.

How many years before menopause can perimenopause occur?

a) 1-2 years b) 2-3 years c) 5-6 years d) 8-10 years?

It’s D. That’s right. Women in their mid-30s can start to notice a change in their bodies. Most people don’t know this, so when their hormones are out of balance, they tend to think the reason is something else. This is why we recommend a hormone blood test if you start to feel the symptoms of perimenopause.

Final perimenopause question, but not final question.

Which of these is NOT a symptom of perimenopause?

Is it a) weight gain b) muscle aches c) hair changes d) mood changes? Do you think it’s hair changes? No, that’s not it. Actually, we cheated here. It’s all of the above. Hey, we have to keep you on your toes!

This next question, we’ll play by the rules and it’s about menopause. Did you know there are some things that women do that can bring on menopause quicker? That’s not our question, because it’s true. Our question is…

Which of these actions does NOT lead to early menopause?

Is it a) smoking? b) cancer treatments? c) taking hormonal birth control pills d) having a hysterectomy. Give up? It’s C. You’d think taking hormones would affect your body’s hormone production would be a factor, but that’s not how this particular form of birth control works. A woman’s body still performs the same process of taking a follicle from a the resting pool of eggs.

Last question.

Menopausal women are more at risk for what disease?

Is it a) heart disease? b) ovarian cancer? c) hypothyroidism? d) kidney disease?

This should be an easy one if you read our blog post on the Top 10 Things That Kill Women. It’s A, heart disease. Cholesterol levels in women with menopause rise, putting them more at risk for heart failure.

So, that’s it! How did you do? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook & Twitter pages. Until next time. If you would like you can check out our hormone tests for women.

*Sources: WebMD, People Magazine, Mayo Clinic, CDC