What contributes to more frequent menstrual periods during the menopause transition?

During the menopause transition, the hormonal fluctuations can lead to changes in the menstrual cycle. The compression of the follicular phase is significant because as a woman approaches menopause, the time it takes for follicles to mature and ovulate can shorten. This means that the interval between menstrual periods can become shorter, leading to more frequent cycles.

As estrogen levels fluctuate and often rise temporarily due to increased follicular activity, the timing and regularity of ovulation can be disrupted, resulting in altered menstrual patterns. Compression of the follicular phase effectively means that the menstrual cycles can become closer together before ultimately leading to the cessation of periods altogether. This is a hallmark of the perimenopausal phase, where periods may become irregular and occur more frequently before they eventually stop as menopause is reached.

The other options involve factors that do not directly account for the frequency of menstrual periods during this transitional phase. For example, increased responsiveness of the ovaries or elevated progesterone levels does not necessarily translate into more frequent periods, and increased ovarian reserve is not typically applicable during this phase as ovarian reserve is generally declining as women age.