The menopause can also affect teenage girls!

Find out more about the causes of an early or premature menopause and if it’s possible to prevent it.

What’s an early or premature menopause?

Women usually go through the menopause between the ages of 50 and 55. The average age at which menopause occurs is estimated at the age of 51. Even if the menopause occurs at the expected time, it creates a lot of problems. If it occurs earlier, the consequences are even worse. An early or premature menopause is considered the menopause that occurs before the age of 45. Studies show that an early menopause occurs in one per cent of women aged between 15 and 45. Within this age period, there are women who go through the menopause before the age of 40 – in that case, we talk about a premature menopause.

Causes of an early or premature menopause

Doctors often come to a dead end when determining the cause of an early or premature menopause. The unknown cause has a very adverse effect on women’s acceptance of this new state that they go through.
An early or premature menopause can also occur totally naturally. It can be the result of the premature failure of the ovaries. If the ovaries aren’t functioning, this can indicate the following two possibilities: either the ovaries stop producing eggs or hormones necessary for ovulation. The failure of the ovaries occurs for several reasons. The most common reason is the autoimmune function of the body. This means that the body recognized what’s supposed to be a natural thing as something that has to be suppressed. The natural development of an early or premature menopause is also influenced by genetic causes. The condition is hereditary in 5% of women. It can also be the result of damaged chromosome X.

An early or premature menopause can also occur due to surgical procedures performed in cases of endometriosis, polyps, ovarian cancer, removal of the ovaries and removal of the uterus. These procedures interrupt the functions of the ovaries and thus cause the drop in estrogen levels.
An early or premature menopause is also triggered by certain drugs used to treat cancer.

Symptoms of an early or premature menopause

The symptoms of an early or premature menopause are similar to those that indicate the menopause occurring at the expected age. The symptoms such as hot flushes and irregular periods that are scanter or heavier than usual periods indicate that the ovaries produce less estrogen. These symptoms can also be accompanied by problems with vaginal lubrication and vaginal elasticity. The vagina is dry as well as the skin of the whole body. Often the mouth is dry too. Other symptoms are incontinence, insomnia, headaches, and joint and muscular pains. Women also experience the decrease in sexual desire . They also experience emotional changes, tension as well as depression. They often have an increased appetite and, consequently, gain weight. If you show the aforementioned symptoms and you may have underwent chemotherapy or radiation and you’re trying to conceive for over a year, or your mother or sister went through an early or premature menopause, you should see your doctor because there’s a possibility that your problems are caused by an early or premature menopause.

What problems does a woman have to face when reaching an early or premature menopause?

What problems does a woman have to face when reaching an early or premature menopause?

Apart from the problems with which menopausal women usually have to deal, there are also additional problems. In contrast to women who go through the menopause at the expected age, women who go through an early or premature menopause are impaired in terms of protection offered through estrogen. They're therefore more prone to osteoporosis, heart diseases, gum diseases and loss of teeth. Until it’s controlled, an early or premature menopause also has an effect on sex life, which can be an additional burden. The majority of women are probably most hurt by infertility.
The worst symptoms develop in the event of an early or premature menopause occurring after an operation. The symptoms appear all at once and with all their might.

Treatment of an early or premature menopause

For now, it’s considered that the process of an early or premature menopause can’t be reversed. When it begins, the most you can do is to focus your attention on treatment of symptoms. The symptoms and emotional problems caused by an early or premature menopause are treated in a similar way as in the event of a normal menopause. Opinions on hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women differ greatly. However, it’s slightly different in the event of an early or premature menopause. Hormone replacement therapy still has a more beneficial effect on women than a harmful one. It prevents the chances of heart and vascular disease, helps muscles and bones, and in general, regulates body processes. Oestrogen also plays a key role in maintaining the normal structure of the vagina, uterus and urinary tract and thus enables as normal a life as possible to women at their most beautiful age. Infertility is mostly treated with different methods of artificial insemination. Physical activity is also important.

New studies conducted by University of Tennessee indicate the possibility of postponing an early or premature menopause. It’s supposedly possible to postpone a normal menopause. The results of their studies are also supposedly helpful in cases when infertility is the result of abnormal functioning of the ovaries. Scientists in the UK warn that this study is still in its early stages and we should wait a little bit as regards the real consequences of postponing an early or premature (or normal) menopause.