The Best Books About Perimenopause: A Curated Reading List

Why Books Still Matter for Perimenopause Education

Your doctor appointment lasts fifteen minutes. A good book can give you hours with an expert who has time to explain the physiology, address the questions you did not know to ask, and help you understand your options without rushing you out the door.

The last few years have produced some genuinely excellent books on perimenopause and menopause, written by clinicians and researchers who are frustrated with the same information gaps you are. These are not wellness books full of vague advice. They are science-grounded, practical, and written with real respect for your intelligence.

This list focuses on books that are actually useful: books that explain what is happening in your body, help you have better conversations with your doctor, and give you evidence-based tools for managing symptoms. Each one offers something different, so the best book for you depends on what you are looking for right now.

The Menopause Brain by Lisa Mosconi

Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist and director of the Weill Cornell Medicine Alzheimer Prevention Program. Her book is the most rigorous, research-dense entry on this list, and it fills a gap that almost no other perimenopause resource addresses: what is actually happening in your brain.

Mosconi explains that the brain is not a passive bystander in menopause. It is deeply dependent on estrogen, and the hormonal transition triggers significant neurological changes including shifts in how the brain uses energy, how neurons communicate, and how protective proteins function. Brain fog, memory changes, and mood disruptions are not incidental side effects. They are direct neurological events.

The key insight: menopause is a brain event as much as a reproductive one. Mosconi presents a compelling case for why supporting brain health during perimenopause, through nutrition, sleep, exercise, and yes, hormone therapy for many women, may have long-term implications for cognitive aging.

Who it is for: people whose brain fog and cognitive changes are distressing, anyone interested in the long-term brain health implications of the hormonal transition, and people who want the neurological science explained clearly without being condescending.

The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver

Mary Claire Haver is an OB-GYN who became frustrated with how poorly trained physicians were in menopausal medicine and set out to change that. Her book is the most comprehensive clinical guide on this list, covering every aspect of the hormonal transition from the first irregular period to postmenopause.

Haver goes deep on hormone therapy: what the research actually says (and how previous misinterpretations of the WHI study have kept millions of women undertreated for decades), what the different types and delivery methods are, who is a good candidate, and how to advocate for yourself if your doctor is reluctant.

She also covers nutrition, exercise, supplements, sleep, and mental health with the same evidence-based rigor. The book includes practical protocols and tools you can use immediately.

The key insight: the fear of hormone therapy that has dominated the last two decades is based on flawed science. Haver lays out the current evidence clearly and helps you have an informed conversation with your provider about whether HRT is right for you.

Who it is for: anyone who wants a thorough, clinically grounded guide to managing perimenopause and menopause. This is the book to read if you want to walk into your next appointment prepared.

The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter

Jen Gunter is an OB-GYN and pain medicine physician who has spent years dismantling medical misinformation, particularly around women reproductive health. The Menopause Manifesto is her answer to the decades of poor information, gaslighting, and inadequate care that perimenopausal people have received.

The book is both a thorough clinical guide and a cultural critique. Gunter covers the physiology of menopause, the history of hormone therapy and how it went wrong, the evidence on HRT and non-hormonal treatments, and the many ways medical culture has failed people going through this transition.

The key insight: so much of what makes perimenopause hard is not inherent to the biology. It is a product of inadequate medical education, cultural shame around aging, and a medical system that has historically not taken women symptoms seriously. Knowing this context makes it easier to be a better advocate for yourself.

Who it is for: people who want both the medical facts and the broader context. Particularly useful if you have had experiences of being dismissed or undertreated. Gunter is direct, occasionally blunt, and consistently evidence-based.

Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm

Aviva Romm is a midwife turned physician who practices integrative medicine. Hormone Intelligence takes a whole-body approach to hormonal health, with a strong focus on the lifestyle, environmental, and nutritional factors that influence hormonal balance throughout the lifespan.

The book is particularly valuable for people in early or mid-perimenopause who want to understand the full picture of what drives hormonal fluctuation, not just the ovarian decline piece. Romm covers the gut-hormone connection, the impact of chronic stress on the hormonal axis, environmental hormone disruptors, and how blood sugar regulation affects estrogen and progesterone balance.

The key insight: hormonal health is not just about the hormones themselves. The liver, gut, adrenal glands, thyroid, and stress response all feed into the hormonal system. Addressing perimenopause symptoms comprehensively means looking at all of these inputs, not just the ovaries.

Who it is for: people who want an integrative, root-cause approach to hormonal health. Also useful for people whose symptoms feel complex or multifactorial, and for anyone interested in the nutrition and lifestyle piece beyond just exercise and stress reduction.

What to Look for in a Perimenopause Book

Not every book about menopause is worth your time. A few things to look for when evaluating whether a book will actually help you.

Author credentials matter. Look for physicians, researchers, or clinicians who specialize in menopause or women hormonal health. Be cautious with books written by wellness influencers or coaches without clinical training, especially on topics like hormone therapy.

Check the citations. Good perimenopause books reference peer-reviewed research. If a book makes strong claims without citing studies, that is a warning sign.

Look for nuance. The best books acknowledge that not everyone experiences perimenopause the same way, that treatments need to be individualized, and that the evidence is still evolving in some areas. Books that promise a single solution for every symptom are oversimplifying a complex topic.

Published date matters more than usual in this field. The science of menopause medicine has evolved significantly in the last five to ten years, particularly around hormone therapy. Books published before 2018 may carry outdated views on HRT safety.

Building Your Perimenopause Library

You do not need to read all of these books at once. Start with the one that addresses your most pressing concerns right now.

If you are in early perimenopause and trying to understand the big picture: The New Menopause by Mary Claire Haver gives you the most comprehensive foundation.

If cognitive changes and brain fog are your primary concern: start with The Menopause Brain by Lisa Mosconi.

If you want to understand the cultural and political context alongside the medicine: The Menopause Manifesto by Jen Gunter.

If you are interested in an integrative approach that goes beyond hormones alone: Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm.

Reading is not a substitute for good medical care. But it makes you a better participant in your own care. The people who tend to have the best outcomes in perimenopause are the ones who understand what is happening, ask good questions, and advocate for the treatment they need.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.