Perimenopause
Your cycle continues but becomes irregular. Hormone levels swing widely, often for years at a time.
More on perimenopauseLife stages
Perimenopause or menopause? Understand what is changing.
Trouble sleeping, hot flushes or changes in your weight? This page sets out what happens during the menopause transition and which symptoms belong to it. Our physicians help you understand where your own situation sits.
Getting oriented
The menopause transition: perimenopause and menopause
You do not need to know which stage you are in. Many symptoms occur in both, and the line between them is rarely sharp. What follows is here to help you get your bearings.
Menopause
Periods stop for good and hormone levels stay low. Metabolism, bone and the cardiovascular system all adjust to that.
More on menopauseThis is general information for orientation. It does not replace a medical assessment.
Comparison
Two stages, two medical starting points
PerimenopauseMenopause and postmenopause
TimeframeUsually begins in the mid to late 40s, varies from person to personAround 51 on average, then postmenopause
CycleContinues but becomes irregularStops for good
HormonesSwing widely, often over yearsStay low for good
Common symptomsSleep, mood, brain fog, fatigue, night sweats, libidoHot flushes, weight, joints, sleep, libido
Medical focusMaking sense of what fluctuates and treating what is treatableTreating symptoms and keeping long-term health in view
The transitions are gradual. Your physician makes the assessment together with you.
In numbers
Years still ahead for women in Switzerland at 50 and at 65
A 50-year-old woman in Switzerland can expect to live another 37.2 years on average, compared with 35.2 in 2005. At 50, more than a third of her life is still ahead of her.1
| Age and year | Further years of life on average |
|---|---|
| At 50, 2005 | 35.2 years |
| At 50, 2025 | 37.2 years |
| At 65, 2005 | 21.6 years |
| At 65, 2025 | 23.2 years |
Calculated using the mortality rates of each year (period life table), women in Switzerland. The statistics record age, not menopause. In Switzerland, women are 51 on average at their last period.2
Symptoms
Which symptoms are on your mind?
Choose a symptom to read what may lie behind it, and when a medical assessment is worth considering.
Sleep and energy
Body and metabolism
Head and mood
Several symptoms at once? You do not have to settle on one of them. Your physician looks at them together.
What gynxtra does medically
Assess, investigate, treat. In that order.
It always starts with a medical consultation. Before it, we map out where you stand in a structured way. Whether treatment makes sense, and which, is decided afterwards.
Dr. med. Bettina von SeefriedMedical Direction, FMH gynaecology, Zurich
25+years in gynaecology
FMHgynaecology and obstetrics
SwissSwiss standard
Level 01
Your medical historyNine topic blocks, filled in calmly before the consultation.
Level 02
History and findingsConditions, medication, family history and any existing lab values.
Level 03
Targeted diagnosticsOnly where they genuinely add something to your treatment plan.
Result
Your medical assessment: what connects, what is treatable, what is watched.
Pricing
Your medical consultation
One appointment, one price. It brings clarity about your next medical step.
What's included
- Preparation in your patient area
- Review by your physician before the appointment
- 30 minutes by video with your physician
- Written report with treatment plan
A one-off service with no further commitment. Where medically indicated, your physician recommends targeted diagnostics. She discusses the scope and cost with you beforehand.See full pricing details
Medical consultation
You do not have to make sense of your symptoms on your own.
In your medical consultation, your physician already knows your medical history and any existing results before you speak. You use the 30-minute video call to look ahead, and afterwards you receive your report with treatment plan in writing.
Who gynxtra is for
- Between 38 and 65 years old
- Typical perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms
- Also with hormone therapy already underway
FAQ
Common questions about getting assessed.
Who is gynxtra for?
gynxtra is for women between 38 and 65 with perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms such as sleep problems, hot flushes, weight gain or brain fog.
What exactly happens in the medical consultation?
Beforehand you fill in a medical history questionnaire at your own pace and upload any prior findings to your patient area. Your physician reviews everything before the call. You use the one-to-one video consultation to look ahead. Your physician puts your situation into context and talks you through sensible next steps: whether diagnostics would clarify anything, and whether a treatment could be an option. Nothing is prescribed without her medical judgement. After the consultation you receive your report with treatment plan in writing in your patient area.
When are diagnostics worthwhile?
When further investigation makes sense, your physician recommends targeted diagnostics. Existing, up-to-date findings are taken into account.
Will I automatically be prescribed hormones after the medical consultation?
Not automatically. Your physician only recommends a therapy when it is medically indicated. Some patients benefit from lifestyle interventions or other measures. Your health and safety come first.
What does the medical consultation cost?
The medical consultation costs CHF 250 as a one-off. If further diagnostics or ongoing treatment are medically sensible, your physician discusses the recommended scope and the resulting costs with you before any next step begins.
Sources
- FSO 2025: Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), life expectancy 2005, 2015 and 2025, sources BEVNAT, ESPOP, STATPOP, own illustration bfs.admin.ch ↩︎
- USZ: University Hospital Zurich, patient information on menopause symptoms («Wechseljahresbeschwerden»), updated 31.07.2026, accessed 07.10.2026 usz.ch ↩︎