Is estrogen high or low during menopause?

Estrogen levels fluctuate greatly during the transition to menopause, known as perimenopause. Overall, estrogen levels decline significantly during and after menopause compared to premenopausal levels. However, initially estrogen levels can be higher or lower at different points throughout perimenopause:

• In the years leading up to the final menstrual period, estrogen production becomes irregular. Some women experience temporary estrogen surges resulting in higher-than-normal blood estrogen levels, while levels crash intermittently as well.


• Estrogen declines most rapidly in the 1-2 years immediately surrounding the final menstrual period.


• After menopause officially begins when a woman has gone 12 months without a period, most women have much lower blood estrogen levels than they had during the premenopausal years when ovaries were still producing estrogen on a cyclic basis.

Lower estrogen levels during and after menopause contribute to most of the common symptoms women experience like:

• Hot flashes


• Night sweats


• Vaginal dryness


• Pain with intercourse


• Urinary changes


• Mood changes


• Brain fog


• Sleep problems

Understanding how your personal estrogen levels change over the course of the menopause transition can help guide you towards the right treatment options based on where you’re at currently. Getting estrogen levels tested periodically with blood, urine, or saliva tests can provide insight on fluctuations.

Some women require extra estrogen via hormone therapy or compounded bioidentical hormones in order to alleviate severe menopause symptoms. Work with a practitioner experienced in perimenopausal and menopausal care to develop the ideal hormone balancing plan for your body and hormones. Individualized, precise hormone therapy can optimize your health, wellbeing and quality of life during this transition.

Experiencing debilitating hot flashes, vaginal dryness, or any other menopause symptom? The hormone health specialists at Balance Hormone Clinic in Chicago have supported thousands of women through perimenopause and menopause. Click here to book your consultation and lab testing with our menopause experts today. Relief is possible!