Wen Shen, MD, on recognizing perimenopause as a window for healthy aging

Perimenopause has historically received less clinical attention than menopause and postmenopause, despite representing an important period for identifying health risks that can affect women later in life, according to Wen Shen, MD, Assistant Professor, Clinical Gynecology, Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Director, Center of Menopause and Midlife Health. Shen delivered the opening keynote, “Perimenopause is Every Clinician’s Patient,” at Perry Academy’s The Perimenopause Symposium, held September 25, 2026, in Baltimore, Maryland, during Perimenopause Awareness Month.

Shen said women experiencing symptoms while still having menstrual periods may be dismissed because they have not yet reached menopause.

“Bottom line is that, up until now, perimenopause has sort of been a stepchild to menopause and postmenopause, right? So, if a woman arrives at her doctor's office and she's still having menstrual periods and she's having symptoms, very often she's brushed off and told, ‘No, you're not in menopause yet. You're still having your periods. Come back when you stop having periods,’” she explained. “And we now understand that perimenopause is, to quote a much-used term, a watershed moment in a woman's life as far as healthy aging for the next third to half of her life, for some women.”

For clinicians, Shen said recognizing this period can create an opportunity to identify major health risks and discuss strategies that may support long-term health.

“Because women are living longer, right? The average age is in the 80s. [For example,] my mother-in-law is 104. Bless her heart,” she said.

Shen said the focus should extend beyond managing symptoms to helping women maintain health and quality of life as they age.

“It's because of her lifestyle, and that's what I would like to convince the attendees and other people who tune into this topic: what a woman can do for healthy aging, and what a clinician should be on the lookout for to help a woman age in such a way.”

She noted that longer life expectancy does not necessarily mean more years without chronic illness or quality-of-life concerns, underscoring the broader public health implications of menopause care.

“So, what a clinician can do is be aware of when a woman is perimenopausal and realize that that's when there should be evaluation for the major risks: cardiovascular, bone, and brain. And if we can help a woman age healthfully in those three areas, it would go a long way toward benefiting women all over.”

Reference:

Perry Academy Unveils Full Program for First-of-Its-Kind Multidisciplinary Perimenopause Symposium. Perry Academy. News release. September 1, 2026. Accessed September 30, 2026.