Hormones across life stages
Hormone levels are not fixed — they rise, fall, and re-balance across a lifetime. Puberty, pregnancy, the postpartum period, perimenopause, and aging each bring characteristic hormonal shifts. These guides explain what changes at each stage, what is typical, and when a change is worth discussing with a clinician.
Browse life-stage guides
Hormones in Puberty: What Changes and Why
How hormones drive puberty — the role of GnRH, LH, FSH, estrogen, and testosterone — what is typically experienced, and when to consider talking to a clinician.
Hormones During Pregnancy: What Changes
How hormones shift during pregnancy — hCG, progesterone, estrogen, prolactin, thyroid and more — what is typical, and when to talk to a clinician.
Postpartum Hormone Changes After Birth
How hormones change after childbirth — the drop in estrogen and progesterone, rising prolactin and oxytocin, thyroid shifts, and when to see a clinician.
Perimenopause: The Hormonal Transition Explained
What happens to hormones during perimenopause — fluctuating estrogen, changing cycles, common experiences, and when to consider talking to a clinician.
Andropause & Aging in Men: Hormone Changes
How testosterone and other hormones change as men age — what andropause means, what is typically experienced, and when to consider talking to a clinician.
Hormones and Healthy Aging: What Changes
How hormones shift with age — thyroid, cortisol, growth hormone, sex hormones, insulin sensitivity — what is typical, and when to talk to a clinician.
Sources
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Hormones. https://medlineplus.gov/hormones.html
- Office on Women's Health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). https://www.womenshealth.gov/