The value of follicle-stimulating hormone concentration and clinical findings as markers of the late menopausal transition

Abstract

Context: The Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop proposed bleeding and hormonal criteria for the menopausal transition, but operational definitions of hormone parameters were not specified. Objective: This paper investigates the longitudinal relationship of annual serum FSH levels with four proposed bleeding criteria for the late menopausal transition in two cohort studies. The goal is to provide empirically based guidance regarding application of hormonal criteria that may be optimal for widespread application in clinical and research settings for assessing menopausal stage. Design/Setting: Prospective menstrual calendar and annual serum FSH data were collected from two population-based c..