Many women are familiar with menopause, but fewer understand perimenopause — the transitional phase leading up to it. According to medical experts, perimenopause is a natural stage of life marked by changing hormone levels and shifts in menstrual cycles. It often begins in a woman’s 40s, though for some it can start as early as the mid-30s. This transition can last anywhere from four to ten years before menopause officially occurs. Menopause itself is defined as going 12 consecutive months without a men...