STRAW Staging System (Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop)
The STRAW staging system (Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop) sorts the reproductive years into numbered stages. The stages run from the fertile years, through the menopause transition, into the years beyond. They are counted from the final menstrual period. Cycle length, bleeding changes and hormone tests place a woman in a stage.
Research uses STRAW so studies of perimenopause and menopause describe the same women in the same words. It says where a woman sits in the transition without naming a cause or a treatment.
Bleeding tells only part of the story. A 2011 review reported that estradiol in perimenopause averages about a quarter higher than before. It swings widely, while ovulation and progesterone become insufficient or absent.1 Staging by cycles alone can miss what the ovulatory cycle is doing.
Cited in this entry
- Prior JC. Progesterone for Symptomatic Perimenopause Treatment - Progesterone politics, physiology and potential for perimenopause. Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn. 2011. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24753856/
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
