Perimenopausal symptoms can last four years on average. The symptoms associated with this phase will gradually ease during menopause and postmenopause. Women who’ve gone an entire year without a period are considered postmenopausal.

Hot flashes, also known as hot flushes, are a common symptom of perimenopause. One study found that moderate to severe hot flashes could continue past perimenopause and last for a median of 10.2 years. That’s longer than the generally accepted timeframe for the duration of hot flashes.

Researchers also found that Black women and women of average weight experience hot flashes for a longer period than white women and women who are considered overweight.

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