Menopause is not a medical condition - it's a natural part of aging for women. So it doesn't need a 'diagnosis' as such. But if you are wondering about how doctors identify menopause we explain that here. We've broken it down by age, as this plays a big part in how doctors assess menopause.
Firstly, your doctor will take a full medical history - including family history and current symptoms. This information, combined with age will inform whether symptoms are considered menopausal or not.
Expect the medical history to cover:
If you have typical menopausal symptoms, and the doctor does not suspect other causes, then they'll most likely conclude that your menopausal. No blood tests are needed for official 'diagnosis'.
If you're a bit younger, then the approach will be similar to that above. Changes in your periods and your current symptoms will be the leading factors used to identify your menopause. When you are younger, the doctor may also decide to order blood tests to confirm any hormonal changes - but not always. If ordered, the blood test would be for follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is a hormone produced by your body which rises as you approach menopause. Raised levels can therefore be an indicator. Your doctor may also decide to check your thyroid function - This is because your thyroid function can impact your periods. Whether a doctor does a blood test, however, will depend on your symptoms and family history.
Have a read of our article 'Menopause between 40 and 45' if you think you may be entering your menopause during this time.
The doctor will run a blood test for FSH check for premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). They'll run this twice over a 6-8 week period to confirm your levels - this is because your hormones will fluctuate a lot during the lead up to menopouse. Uncharacteristically high FSH results will suggest that your symptoms are due to hormonal changes that typically arise as you approach menopause.
When you are under 40 with symptoms, doctors will probably run other blood tests to rule out other potential causes. These will likely include a thyroid check, a full blood count and a check for autoimmune antibodies.
If menopause is suspected then your doctor should talk you through the different treatment options. This should include discussing Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and other lifestyle based, or Non-hormonal solutions to manage symptoms.
The reason for the slightly different approaches are that with early menopause Menopause under 40, or POI, there are more longer term health risks. Your doctor therefore needs to be sure of menopause to advise you of any preventative actions you need to take to reduce these longer term risks.
Our assessment is designed to be the first step in helping youn understand where you're at with respect to menopause. It's an educational, free tool which you can complete at home in less that 5 minutes.
Hillard, T., Abernathy, K., Hamoda, H., Shaw, I., Everett, M., Ayres, J. and Currie, H., 2017. Management Of The Menopause. 6th ed. British Menopause Society.
nhs.uk. n.d. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). [online]
Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/.
nhs.uk. n.d. Menopause. [online]
Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ [Accessed 27 March 2020].