1. Premature Menopause is Rare, but It Happens
All women will go through menopause at some point during their life, usually after the age of 45. At that point, a woman will no have no more menstrual periods or ovarian function, and pregnancy is no longer possible. For various reasons, some women will start to experience the symptoms of menopause earlier. If it happens before the age of 40, it's considered premature menopause; if it's before the age of 45, it's termed early menopause. Fortunately, the rates of menopause in younger women are low, affecting about 1 in every 1000 women between the ages of 15-29 and 1 in every 100 women between the ages of 30-39.
2. There are Only A Few Known Causes of Premature Menopause
Why some women go through early or premature menopause remains, for the most part, a medical mystery. Sometimes, the cause may be linked to your genetic makeup or your past: If your mom went into menopause early, chances are, you will too. Other culprits include premature ovarian failure (POV), which basically means that a woman's ovaries cease functioning properly; they'll stop producing eggs and the hormones needed to ovulate. More than 65 percent of POV cases are linked to autoimmune disorders, while other women are just born with very few eggs. Surgical menopause (the deliberate forcing of menopause due to health reasons such as endometriosis or ovarian cancer), cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation, eating disorders and infections of the ovaries are also possible causes of early or premature menopause.
3. Some Treatments Can Squash Symptoms
The standard treatment for early-onset menopause is hormone therapy, which brings your body a boost of estrogen, progesterone or both; these hormones also enable the uterus to support a possible pregnancy. Other doctors may prescribe a combined oral contraceptive pill (COC), containing both estrogen and progesterone, which may also help prevent osteoporosis and brittle bones, a common concern among menopausal women. To determine the best treatment for you, talk with your doctor.
4. Pregnancy is Still Possible Despite Premature Menopause
Even though premature menopause tricks your body into thinking it can no longer reproduce, some women are still able to get pregnant. There are a variety of infertility treatments available including certain medications and in vitro fertilization, or a woman can opt to go with a donor egg. Additionally, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has proven to be an aid in helping younger women achieve pregnancy despite premature menopause. In fact, the added boost of estrogen and progesterone are said to give women up to a 50 percent chance of becoming pregnant. Otherwise the chance of becoming pregnant is less than a 10 percent.
5. Be On the Lookout for Symptoms
If you think you're at risk for early or premature menopause, be on alert for the tell-tale symptoms. These include irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, decrease in sexual drive, irritability, painful sex and vaginal dryness. However, some women undergoing premature menopause may continue to have normal periods with no symptoms, underlining the importance of regular checkups with an OB/GYN. It's imperative that you see your doctor right away, as you may also be an increased risk for other health problems, including osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
