Unipolar depression risk in the MT has an expanding literature reporting an increase of both major depression and depressive symptoms during the perimenopause.
Compared with premenopausal women,women with a history of depression are nearly five times more likely to have a diagnosis of major depression in the menopausal transition, whereas women with no history of depression are two to four times more likely to report depressed mood.
Within the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop + 10 defined reproductive stages, the late perimenopause (interval of amenorrhea of 60 to 364 days) and early postmenopause (amenorrhea 1–6 years) are times of heightened risk of unipolar depression.
Women reporting a history of premenstrual or postpartum mood disturbance are at greater risk of depression during the MT than those who do not.