Menopause & Women's Health Foundation course

Understanding Perimenopause

Know the signs, track your own pattern and get the right help from your family doctor or nurse practitioner

  • 1 hour 10 minself-paced
  • 6modules
  • 3interactive tools
  • Certificatewhen you pass

What you will be able to do

  • explain the difference between perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.
  • recognize the common signs of perimenopause, including the less obvious ones.
  • name other common causes of similar symptoms and the bleeding changes that need checking.
  • keep a cycle and symptom diary and pick out your own patterns.
  • use everyday habits health experts suggest for sleep, hot flashes, activity, food and mood.
  • describe how family doctors and nurse practitioners recognize perimenopause and the main options they may discuss.
  • prepare a one-page summary for a focused doctor's appointment.

About this course

Waking at 4am, periods arriving early, anxiety out of nowhere, forgetting words mid-sentence: perimenopause can start years before your periods stop, and many women do not recognize it. This short, clear course explains what perimenopause is, what your hormones are doing, and the many signs it can bring, from period changes and hot flashes to mood, sleep and memory.

You will use a symptom checklist to see the bigger picture, keep a simple cycle and symptom diary for a few weeks, and learn which everyday habits health experts suggest. You will also find out how family doctors and nurse practitioners recognize perimenopause, why a blood test is often not needed, which changes should always be checked, and the main options your family doctor may talk about.

It is for women in their late 30s, 40s and early 50s who are wondering whether perimenopause could explain how they feel. By the end, you will have a one-page appointment prep sheet ready for a confident, focused appointment.

Course modules

6 modules
  1. 1What perimenopause is, in plain words

    Learn what perimenopause means, how it differs from menopause, and when it usually starts.

    • Perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause
    • What your hormones are doing
  2. 2Could it be perimenopause? Recognizing the signs

    Get to know the common signs of perimenopause, including the less obvious ones, and the other causes worth ruling out.

    • Period changes: often the first clue
    • The wider list of signs, and other possible causes

    Perimenopause symptom checklistCycle and symptom diary

  3. 3Tracking your cycle and symptoms

    Use a simple daily diary to turn vague worries into a clear picture you can share with your family doctor.

    • Why a diary helps, and how to keep it
    • Reading your patterns

    Cycle and symptom diaryPerimenopause appointment prep sheet

  4. 4What helps day to day

    Everyday habits health experts suggest for living with perimenopause symptoms, and realistic ways to fit them into a busy life.

    • Sleep, hot flashes and movement
    • Food, drink, mood and support

    Cycle and symptom diary

  5. 5How your family doctor can help

    What to expect from your family doctor or nurse practitioner, why blood tests are not always needed, and the main options they may talk about.

    • How perimenopause is recognized
    • Options your family doctor may talk about

    Perimenopause appointment prep sheet

  6. 6Your appointment and your next steps

    Prepare for a short appointment, know the warning signs that need checking, and make a simple plan for the months ahead.

    • Getting the most from your appointment
    • Warning signs and your perimenopause plan

    Perimenopause appointment prep sheetPerimenopause symptom checklist

Tools included

Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF
  • CheckerPerimenopause symptom checklistTick the changes you have noticed in the last 3 to 6 months to see whether they fit the common pattern of perimenopause and what a sensible next step would be.
  • TrackerCycle and symptom diaryRecord your bleeding, main symptoms and possible triggers each day for 8 weeks, so you can see your own pattern and share a clear summary with your family doctor.
  • TemplatePerimenopause appointment prep sheetBuild a one-page summary of your periods, symptoms, diary findings and questions to take to your family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Who this course is for

  • Women in their late 30s to early 50s who wonder whether perimenopause could explain changes they have noticed
  • Women who want to understand the basics before deciding whether to see their family doctor
  • Women who want to prepare for a doctor's appointment about perimenopause
  • Partners, friends and family who want to understand what someone close to them is going through

Check with a health professional first if

  • If you are under 45 and your periods have changed a lot or stopped, see your family doctor to find out why, rather than waiting until you finish the course
  • If you have bleeding after sex, between periods, or after your periods have stopped for 12 months, see your family doctor promptly
  • If your periods are very heavy, for example flooding or passing large clots, or you feel breathless and exhausted, see your family doctor
  • If you have had breast cancer, a blood clot, or another serious condition, talk to your family doctor or specialist about any changes or options, as some information in this course may not apply to you
  • If you are taking medicines or thinking about any treatment or supplement, check with your family doctor or pharmacist; this course does not advise on starting or stopping anything
  • If you feel low most days or have thoughts of harming yourself, talk to your family doctor or call or text the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline now; call 911 if you are in immediate danger

Your certificate

Answer at least 7 of the 10 final questions correctly and your certificate is ready to download straight away, with your name, the course and a verification ID anyone can check.

A certificate of completion shows you finished a general education course. It is not a professional qualification.

Certificate of completion

Your name

Understanding Perimenopause, 6 modules, completed 6 October 2026

Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
Course author
ID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk

Your course author

Dr Aqsa MukhtiarPhD in Nutrition

  • Course author
  • Nutrition content reviewer
  • 6 years of experience

Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar holds a PhD in Nutrition and has six years of experience in nutrition, healthy eating, weight management and maternal nutrition. She writes MyNutriCare courses and reviews their nutrition content.

About Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar

Questions about this course

Will this course tell me if I am in perimenopause?

No. It helps you understand the common signs, track your own pattern and prepare for a conversation with your family doctor or nurse practitioner. Only a health professional who knows your history can help you work out what is happening.

Do I need a blood test to know if I am in perimenopause?

Not usually if you are over 45. Menopause experts, including the SOGC, say perimenopause can usually be recognized from symptoms in women over 45, because hormone levels change from day to day. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner may consider tests if you are under 45 or to check for other causes.

Does this course recommend MHT or supplements?

No. It explains the main options you may hear about, so you can ask good questions. Decisions about any treatment are made between you and your family doctor or pharmacist.

How is this different from your other menopause courses?

This is the short entry course. It focuses on recognizing perimenopause and getting help. Perimenopause Nutrition covers food in depth, and the Complete Menopause Guide covers every stage from perimenopause to postmenopause in detail.

What do I get with this course?

6 modules with 12 short lessons (about 1 hour 10 minutes in total) and 3 interactive tools, including the Perimenopause symptom checklist, Cycle and symptom diary and Perimenopause appointment prep sheet. Your tool results save to My Progress. A 10-question final check ends the course; score 7 or more for your certificate. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition. Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD).