The MENO-D (Menopause Depression Rating Scale) is a 12-item self-report tool developed by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM at HER Centre Australia, Monash University, and published in 2018. It measures depression during the perimenopausal transition, including the symptoms that traditional depression scales tend to miss: low energy, sleep disturbance, weight change, memory difficulties and reduced libido. It’s used by clinicians and researchers in Australia and internationally.

Free Online Perimenopause Depression Assessment

Q: How long does the online MENO-D assessment take?

About three minutes. You’ll work through 12 symptom areas and pick the response that best describes the past two weeks, compared with how you felt before perimenopause. Don’t spend too long on any single item. Results appear as soon as you submit.

Q: Is the MENO-D a diagnosis?

No. The MENO-D is a measurement tool, not a diagnostic one. It can show you how perimenopause may be affecting your mood and give you something concrete to take to a GP or psychologist. A formal diagnosis needs a clinical assessment by a qualified professional.

Q: Do I need to create an account or provide my email?

No. The assessment is fully anonymous. No account, no name, no email at any point. Your responses are not stored or linked to you. You complete it, see your results, and that’s it.

Q: How do GPs use the MENO-D in Australia?

GPs and psychologists use the MENO-D to identify perimenopausal depression that standard depression scales tend to miss. Your score helps your GP understand the nature and severity of your symptoms and decide whether a Mental Health Care Plan is appropriate. A Mental Health Care Plan gives you access to Medicare-subsidised sessions with a psychologist or allied mental health professional.

Q: What is a Mental Health Care Plan?

A Mental Health Care Plan is a structured plan your GP puts together in Australia. It gives eligible patients access to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions, which brings the out-of-pocket cost down significantly. To get one, book a longer GP appointment and explain what you’ve been experiencing. Bringing your MENO-D results along can make that conversation easier.

Q: Is perimenopause depression support covered by Medicare?

The MENO-D itself is free. A GP consultation that includes a mental health assessment may attract a standard Medicare rebate. If your GP writes a Mental Health Care Plan, the psychology sessions that follow can be partially covered by Medicare.

Q: What should I do if my MENO-D score is in the moderate or severe range?

A higher score isn’t something to push through alone. It’s a signal that support could actually help. Booking a session with a psychologist is a sensible next step. If you’re unsure where to start, your GP can point you toward a referral and a Mental Health Care Plan. At Pynk Health, our online psychology sessions are available to anyone in Australia. If you’d like to explore what support might look like for you, we’re here.

If you’re in your 40s or 50s and something feels off, the MENO-D can help you work out whether perimenopause might be part of what’s going on.

It’s a 12-item self-report scale developed by Professor Jayashri Kulkarni AM and her team at HER Centre Australia, Monash University. Unlike most depression questionnaires (which focus on mood and thoughts), the MENO-D was built to pick up the physical symptoms that often come with perimenopausal depression and get missed by other tools: low energy, broken sleep, weight changes, dropping libido, brain fog.

No name. No email. No account required. This assessment is completely anonymous.

Psychologists and GPs across Australia use the MENO-D because standard depression scales don’t always catch what’s happening in perimenopause. You rate each symptom against how you felt before perimenopause started, which helps tell the difference between hormonal change and patterns you’ve had for years.

How the Assessment Works

You’ll move through 12 areas: energy, irritability, anxiety, suspicious or paranoid thoughts, self-esteem, social withdrawal, physical pain, sleep, weight, libido, memory and concentration. For each one, you pick the description that sounds closest to your last two weeks, compared with how you felt before perimenopause.

Each item is scored 0 (no change) to 4 (severe change).

There are no right answers. Don’t sit too long on any item. Pick the description that sounds most like you and keep moving. Your results appear the moment you submit.

About Your Results

The MENO-D is a measurement tool, not a diagnosis. It can show you how perimenopause might be affecting your mood and wellbeing, but a proper clinical assessment from your GP or a psychologist is what gives you the full picture.

If your score lands in the mild, moderate or severe range, treat it as a signal worth following up. Not a reason to panic. A reason to talk to someone.

If you’re having thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please reach out now. Lifeline 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 are both available 24/7.

What to Do Next

A score on its own doesn’t change anything. What you do with it does.

If your results suggest perimenopausal depression, talking to a psychologist who understands this stage of life can help. At Pynk Health, our team is all women, all online, available anywhere in Australia. No travel, no waiting room, no GP referral needed to get started (though a referral does unlock Medicare rebates).

Noticing mood changes that started with perimenopause?
Perimenopause mood shifts often don’t shift back on their own. Read about our perimenopause and menopause support.

Feeling persistently low or flat?
If the low mood, lack of interest or sense of emptiness has been hanging around, it’s worth talking through. Read about our counselling for depression.

Not sure which support fits?
A Pynk Pathways Call is a short, no-pressure chat to help you work out what kind of support makes sense and which of our psychologists would be the right match. Book a Pynk Pathways Call.

Online Perimenopause Depression Assessment

How the Assessment Works

Take The Perimenopause Depression Self-Assessment

About Your Results

What to Do Next

MENO-D Frequently Asked Questions

What is the MENO-D?

How long does the online MENO-D assessment take?

Is the MENO-D a diagnosis?

Do I need to create an account or provide my email?

How do GPs use the MENO-D in Australia?

What is a Mental Health Care Plan?

Is perimenopause depression support covered by Medicare?

What should I do if my MENO-D score is in the moderate or severe range?

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