Early Menopause – Causes, Symptoms and Treatments!
Early Menopause or Premature Ovarian Failure (FOP) is the temporary or permanent loss of gonadal function (to produce hormones) that happens after menarche (first menstruation) and before age 40. It is characterized by the decrease in the number of ovulatory follicles (eggs) and it is exactly this condition that will generate hormonal change.
What is Early Menopause: Most women enter “natural” menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. The average is 51 years old. When menopause occurs before age 40, we say that the woman has had an Early Menopause , as her ovaries have failed earlier than usual.
In addition to dealing with typical menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings, many women undergoing Early Menopause have to deal with major emotional issues, especially if a pregnancy was still in their plans. Childless women who are diagnosed with Early Menopause can be emotionally devastated.
Main Symptoms: The signs and symptoms of Early Menopause are similar to those experienced by patients who are going through the menopause period and have a typical estrogen deficiency. They include:
- night sweats ;
- Irregular menstrual cycles (with long intervals or absence of menstruation) that may appear after pregnancy or after stopping the use of the contraceptive pill;
- hypoactive sexual desire
- Vaginal dryness ;
- Irritability or difficulty concentrating;
- Hot flashes (hot flashes).
Main Causes: Early aging of the ovaries can lead to Early Menopause , and this can be caused by factors such as:
- Genetic changes on the X chromosome that can be diagnosed through a genetic test;
- Mother or grandmother with a history of Early Menopause ;
- Autoimmune diseases;
- Enzyme deficiencies such as Galactosemia, a genetic disease caused by the lack of the enzyme galactose, can lead to the onset of Early Menopause ;
- Chemotherapy and exaggerated exposure to radiation as in radiotherapy, or to certain toxins such as cigarettes or pesticides;
- Some infectious diseases such as mumps, Shigella infection and malaria can also rarely cause Early Menopause .
Treatments: There is no cure available to block Early Menopause and induce the ovaries to resume ovulation. Women with Early Menopause have a long postmenopausal life span, which means a greater risk of health problems such as early onset osteoporosis and heart disease.
Hormone therapy may be recommended until a woman reaches menopausal age (about age 51) to treat menopausal symptoms and reduce the risk of early-onset osteoporosis and heart disease. Other treatments are: