Premature and early menopause
Premature and early menopause
What is menopause?
Menopause
is your final
period
.
As you approach menopause, your reproductive hormones (e.g. oestrogen) drop. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. In Australia, the average age to reach menopause is 51 to 52.
What is premature menopause?
Premature menopause is when you reach menopause before the age of 40.
What is early menopause?
Early menopause is when you reach menopause between the ages of 40 and 45.
Up to 12% of women have their final period before they are 45. This percentage is likely to be higher if we include menopause caused by surgery and cancer treatment.
Symptoms of premature and early menopause
Symptoms of premature and early menopause are like those you would experience if you reached menopause at the expected age. Menopausal symptoms can be more severe after surgery or cancer treatment, due to the sudden change in oestrogen levels.
Common symptoms include:
hot flushes
night sweats
sleep problems
mood changes
brain fog
headaches
or
migraines
You can also experience:
sore breasts
dry vagina
reduced sex drive
(libido)
itchy skin
aches and pains
weight gain
tiredness
.
What causes premature and early menopause?
Premature and early menopause may be caused by primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), cancer treatment or surgery.
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)
POI is when periods stop suddenly at an earlier age than expected. POI affects up to 1% of women.
It’s associated with certain autoimmune diseases, but in about 60% of cases a cause can’t be found.
The first symptoms of POI may be:
irregular periods
no periods after stopping the
oral contraceptive pill
inability to get
pregnant
.
Cancer treatment
Chemotherapy
and
radiotherapy
treatments can cause the ovaries to stop working, resulting in menopause. But not all cancer treatments lead to menopause.
Surgical menopause
Menopause happens with removal of the ovaries, with or without the uterus being removed. This surgery may be necessary due to cancer, or other health conditions such as severe
endometriosis
.
After a diagnosis
Premature or early menopause can be very upsetting. It’s normal to feel a sense of loss,
sadness
and
grief
. You may also have mixed feelings about your
body image
,
fertility
, and
sexuality
.
If you feel very emotional, anxious or depressed after your diagnosis, it’s important to talk to someone. You can do counselling or join a support group. Your doctor can refer you to a
psychologist
if needed.
Managing premature and early menopause
Depending on your situation, your doctor may refer you to a specialist, such as an
endocrinologist
,
gynaecologist
,
fertility specialist
, psychologist or
psychiatrist
.
People with premature or early menopause have lower levels of oestrogen, which can increase the risk of health conditions such as
osteoporosis
and
heart disease
.
Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)
or the oral contraceptive pill can help to reduce these risks. These treatments should be taken until the expected age of menopause.
If you cannot take hormone therapy (e.g. you have a history of
breast cancer
), your doctor will discuss your situation and recommend other treatments.
More information
For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit
Jean Hailes for Women’s
Health
External Link
.
Where to get help
GP (doctor)
Gynaecologist
Endocrinologist
Jean Hailes for Women’s
Health
External Link