Novel tool to help women navigate perimenopausal depression

Dr Caroline Gurvich (pictured) and MAPrc researchers have
developed a rating scale for perimenopause depression

by Anne Crawford

Researchers at Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) have developed a new rating system to help diagnose perimenopausal depression, a relatively neglected area of women’s health.

Perimenopause or the transition into menopause is a time when women are at increased risk for new onset depression, as well as relapse of depression. Perimenopause is diagnosed clinically and includes the time immediately preceding menopause, when women can have varying menstrual cycle lengths, and ends one year after the final menstrual period. This is usually during the mid- to late 40s, and typically continues for about four to five years.

Perimenopausal depression may look different compared to depression in childbearing years

MAPrc researchers have published a study which found that symptoms of depression during perimenopause were found to present as subtly different to that seen during the childbearing years, with milder symptoms of depression, increased anger, reduced sleep quality, and increased fatigue that was independent of sleep quality.