title: The perimenopause: definitions, demography, and physiology.
abstract: The perimenopausal years should serve to remind patients and clinicians that this is a time for education. Certainly preventive health care education is important throughout life, but at the time of midlife, a review of the major health issues can be especially rewarding. The failure to respond appropriately (by either clinician or patient) easily leads to a loss of the patient from a practice, but equally, if not more importantly, is the probability that the loss of a patient from a practice means that another woman has lost her involvement in a preventive health care program. Contrary to popular opinion, the menopause is not a signal of impending decline, but rather a wonderful phenomenon that can signal the start of something positive, a good health program.
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D002979:Climacteric / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D014666:Vasomotor System / Q000502:physiology; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones