During the menopause transition, which phase do women spend more time in?

During the menopause transition, women experience significant changes in their hormonal balance and menstrual cycle patterns. While the luteal phase typically refers to the time between ovulation and the start of menstruation, it becomes less predictable during this transitional period.

As women approach menopause, they tend to have irregular cycles, which may result in prolonged phases where ovulation does not occur regularly. This often leads to a situation where estradiol (an estrogen) levels might be erratic, but progesterone, which is primarily produced during the luteal phase, may not be present in sufficient amounts at times due to anovulation (absence of ovulation). Therefore, women may experience symptoms associated with increased luteal phase characteristics, even in cycles where ovulation does not occur.

In contrast, the follicular phase and the menstrual phase may not be prolonged in the same way since the cycle is becoming irregular. The ovulatory phase may also not be as prevalent due to the decreased frequency of ovulation leading into menopause. Thus, the luteal phase may, in effect, become the phase that women experience in a more prolonged and symptomatic manner as they navigate through the menopause transition. This highlights the complexities of women's hormonal dynamics during this time.