Perimenopause and the PeakDay App
Women often wonder when their fertility will begin to change and what symptoms and charting changes they will experience. Many women have very regular cycles and predicable charts that they have relied upon for years, so they become nervous when they start experiencing different cycles and observations during their perimenopause years.
In the image below, you can see the normal reproductive lifespan for a woman. Perimenopause is the gradual decline in fertility that ends with menopause and generally starts for women in their mid-40’s. Most women enter menopause, the cessation of menstrual periods for 12 months, with an average age of 51.
How do you know if you are in perimenopause and when menopause will happen? Your mother’s age at menopause is a good indicator for you. Your cycle length variation is the key to knowing when early perimenopause starts. Look back at your last 10 cycle lengths. This is easy if you are using the PeakDay app. When in the “View Chart” area in the app, click on the “Stats” tab to see all your cycle lengths. If there are at least 2 cycles within 10 months of each other with a variation of at least ±7 days, you can determine you are in early perimenopause.
Women may experience various cycle changes leading up to and continuing through early perimenopause including differences in mucus, thermal shifts, bleeding, and physical symptoms like hot flashes, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. To gain confidence with this transition, it is beneficial to continue charting to understand your cycle and successfully practice NFP.
Guidelines
Here are a few guidelines and strategies to help you in perimenopause.
1. In the initial stages of perimenopause, the fertility cycle can vary in length, but the Sympto-Thermal Rules still can be easily applied. Take the CCL Perimenopause Class and switch to Perimenopause charting in the PeakDay app when appropriate. In the class you will learn specific rules to navigate fertility levels in changing mucus patterns and patches that occur in these longer cycles. Then when you need the perimenopause rules, you switch this setting when you “Start New Cycle” from the drop-down menu from regular cycle charting to “Perimenopause Charting.” The app also easily allows you to enter your own mucus descriptions which is essential to this time of transition with the differing rules.
2. As your cycle length increases, vary your phase I rules to give you the most accurate fertile window. For example, you could have a delay in ovulation that leads to a longer cycle; by using the Last Dry Day rule instead of the Day 5/6 rule, you can remain in the non-fertile time Phase 1 longer before Phase 2 begins. Also, when your cycles are long, using the Perimenopause rules will help minimize the amount of abstinence while waiting for Phase 3. Keep in mind that eventually you will not have a Phase 3, so following the perimenopause rules will be your guide through this time.
3. You can easily share your chart through the Peak Day app through the “Get Help” tab to reach out to your local teaching couple or a CCL coach for extra confirmation and confidence with your charts.
Unsure if you’re in perimenopause now? Take our Perimenopause Quiz to help you determine if you’re experiencing perimenopause and learn how CCL can help you on your journey.
Final Thoughts
The time of perimenopause to menopause can be challenging when managing your symptoms and varying hormone levels. We suggest taking an excellent quality multivitamin and Omega-3 oil for nutrition support. You may find that in your early 40’s your cycle is just extra sensitive to stress, physical and mental, and does not bounce back the same way it used to, even though you may still be far off from using perimenopause rules. Seeing an NFP only physician can be a resource, as well, as they could provide some support for the varying symptoms that can occur during this time like changes in bleeding, hormonal shifts, and low libido. A healthy cycle and careful charting are the keys to understanding your health as you travel through this transition.
Sharon, Bernadette and Elizabeth are all fertility coaches with FSI and long-time teaching couples for CCL with their husbands. They are all located in various parts of Colorado and Ohio, where they live with their families.
Did you know that Couple to Couple League has a new updated book for Perimenopause about NFP. Check it out on the store here.