New Flo and Mayo Clinic Research Finds Widespread Confusion About Perimenopause Onset

A new study from Flo and the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Women’s Health found that 34% of American women don’t know what reproductive stage they are in. The confusion rises to 42% among women ages 40 to 44, as many approach perimenopause.

Published in Menopause: The Journal of the Menopause Society, the study surveyed 7,650 35+ women, using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to evaluate symptoms and perimenopause awareness. 

Analyzing the disconnect, the study found 56% of women experiencing physical and mental symptoms didn’t believe they were in perimenopause, often attributing those changes to regular periods and other conditions like endometriosis, postpartum, and discontinuing birth control. Another 26% didn’t know how to identify perimenopause, and 16% couldn’t access adequate information or care. 

“This study highlights that helping women navigate perimenopause isn’t only about developing new treatments—it’s also about helping them recognize the transition earlier,” said Flo’s Director of Science, Liudmila Zhaunova, PhD.

The first women’s health app to reach unicorn status, Flo now serves 77M monthly active users. The latest findings build on the company’s growing body of research, spanning perimenopause symptom prevalence, endometriosis diagnosis delays, and reproductive health. 

With less than 10% of NIH funding allocated to women’s health, Flo joins platforms like Natural Cycles, Clue, and Evvy in generating proprietary datasets and conducting in-house research to help fill longstanding evidence gaps.