Final answer:
During perimenopause, common changes include a decrease in progesterone production leading to endometrial hyperplasia and varying symptoms like hot flashes, sleep trouble, and mood swings.
Step-by-step explanation:
During an education session, the nurse explains that the body undergoes several changes during perimenopause. This period marks the transition leading up to menopause, where a woman's menstrual cycle becomes irregular but does not cease entirely.
A common change during this phase is a reduction in the level of progesterone produced by the corpus luteum, which can lead to endometrial hyperplasia, increasing the risk of endometrial cancer. Other symptoms associated with fluctuations in estrogen levels include hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, mood swings, difficulty focusing, thinning hair on the head, and increased facial hair growth. The severity of these symptoms varies from person to person.