The menopause is a natural part of ageing for women, which occurs when their oestrogen levels start to decline, causing their periods stop and their ovaries to lose their reproductive function. The average age for a woman to start the menopause in the UK is 51 however, due to a range of different factors, some women can experience it before they reach the age of 40 – often referred to as ‘premature menopause’.
Health on Female First
Here, Ms Tania Adib, Consultant Gynaecologist at The Lister Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, explains 7 things that everyone should know about premature menopause.
1. The symptoms mirror normal menopause
Ms Tania Adib says: “The symptoms of early menopause are often the same as those experienced by women undergoing menopause at a ‘normal’ age. At first, symptoms may include irregular or missed periods, periods that are lighter or heavier than usual and hot flushes. These symptoms usually signal that that the ovaries are producing less oestrogen.
"Further to this, some women may also experience the following symptoms, which will coincide with the menstrual changes mentioned above:
- "Night sweats
- Emotional changes including anxiety
- Dry skin, eyes, or mouth
- Sleeplessness
- Decreased sex drive
- Vaginal dryness
- Bladder irritability"
2. There are many different triggers of premature menopause
Ms Tania Adib says: “There are several known causes of early menopause, although for some women the cause cannot be 100% determined:
- "Genetics – Your age to start menopause is often inherited. If your mother started menopause early, it means you are more likely to.
- Lifestyle factors – Smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise and lack of sun exposure throughout your life could contribute to an early menopause.
- Chromosome defects – Turner syndrome, which involves being born with an incomplete chromosome, can cause women to be born with ovaries that don’t function effectively – often triggering them to enter menopause prematurely.
- Autoimmune diseases – Inflammation caused by autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the ovaries.
- Epilepsy – Women with epilepsy are more likely to experience premature ovarian failure, which leads to menopause.
"In addition to the above factors, any medical treatments that damage the ovaries or stop oestrogen production can cause early menopause. (For example, chemotherapy for cancer)."
3. Other health issues may come hand in hand
Ms Tania Adib says: “Like all menopausal women, those experiencing premature menopause will experience lowered oestrogen levels. Low levels of oestrogen can lead to lots of changes in a woman’s overall health and may increase her risk for certain medical conditions, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, cognitive decline, colon cancer, gum disease, tooth loss, and cataract formation.
"Women experiencing premature menopause are encouraged to visit their GP if ever they experience any unusual symptoms that might be associated with the above, just so that they can receive a thorough examination and rule these out.”
4. You can receive treatment to manage your symptoms
Ms Tania Adib says: “Unfortunately there is not a cure for premature menopause however, treatment options are available to help women to manage some of the unpleasant symptoms or conditions that come with it.
"The most common treatment is hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as this can treat menopausal symptoms.”
5. You can still conceive!
Ms Tania Adib says: “With the help of IVF, and other modern assisted fertility treatments, it is still possible to conceive a baby after the menopause.
"For example, many young, healthy women are now choosing to freeze their eggs as precautionary measure. She can then undergo IVF or IUI when she is older, if she struggles to fall pregnant naturally – or can’t because she has reached menopause. If a woman knows that her mother or grandmother experienced premature menopause, they I would advise that she considers egg freezing – as this can help to protect her fertility for the future.
"For women who are experiencing premature menopause, but haven’t frozen their eggs, there are other assisted fertility options for them to explore – such as egg donation or embryo adoption.”
Tagged in Menopause