Menopause Before 40s! What Could Be The Reasons?

Generally, Women attain menopause in their early or late 50s, but due to certain factors and lifestyle changes, a woman can experience premature or early menopause, i.e. menopause occurring before the age of 40. After menopause, a woman is not able to bear a child and her menstrual cycle comes to an end. Here is what more you need to know.

Premature Menopause is a condition in which a woman starts showing early signs of menopause before the age of 40 years and her menstrual cycle comes to an end. Similar to this is Early Menopause, but here, a woman undergoes menopause before the age of 45. According to a research study published in the Annals of Medical & Health Sciences Research (AMHSR), on premature menopause, “Premature menopause is defined as a premature ovarian failure before the age of 40 years. It affects 1% of women under the age of 40 years. The women are at risk of premature death, neurological diseases, psychosexual dysfunction, mood disorders, osteoporosis, ischemic heart disease, and infertility”.

Lack of estrogen hormone in women is mainly believed to be responsible for premature menopause. Apart from this, women with long-term health risks such as cardiovascular or neurological diseases, mood disorders, psychological dysfunction can lead to premature menopause. So, what are the factors that contribute to it, and what are the symptoms and management tips? Let us read more about it.

Possible Causes Of Premature or Early Menopause

1. Genetic Abnormalities: Abnormality of sex chromosomes can be the reason behind premature menopause.
2. Auto-immune diseases: Disorders like SLE i.e. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, thyroiditis, etc. can cause premature menopause.
3. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy: These treatments can result in premature menopause in women. They have serious side effects on one’s body and menopause may be one of them.
4. Removal of the ovaries or uterus: Removal of the ovaries and removal of the uterus both terminate menstruation and cause premature menopause.
5. Family history: Premature menopause can occur if the woman has a family history of experiencing menopause at an early age.
6. Smoking: Smoking anyway is extremely injurious to health and consumption of toxic substances like tobacco through smoking can be a cause of this condition.
7. Diabetes: Women can also experience premature menopause due to diabetes.

Risks Associated With Premature Menopause

Women who experience premature menopause may be at greater risk of mood disorders, mental illness, osteoporosis, heart disease and decreased quality of life. According to a study, the risk of breast cancer also increases in such a case. Premature menopause causes infertility in women. If a woman was already planning a pregnancy, this can lead to emotional stress and depression.

The research study states, “ Women with premature ovarian failure have been reported to have diminished general and sexual well-being and are less satisfied with their sexual lives. Furthermore, women with premature ovarian failure have more anxiety, depression, somatization, sensitivity, hostility and psychological distress than women with normal ovaries”.

Signs And Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of premature menopause may vary from woman to woman. However, some women may not experience any symptoms at all. The symptoms are usually similar to normal menopause, like hot flashes, discomfort during sexual intercourse, tender breasts, night sweats, UTIs, sleeplessness, mood swings, etc. Also, low estrogen levels during this time can lead to osteoporosis and cause dryness in the vagina. Moreover, lower estrogen increases the risk of Parkinson's disease, dementia, and coronary artery diseases.

Managing Premature Menopause

Premature menopause cannot be prevented, but there are ways in which it can be managed. “It is good practice to recommend estrogen replacement therapy for women with premature menopause. Women with hypoestrogenic may require hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to avoid osteoporosis. There is some evidence that restoring normal estrogen levels will reduce the later development of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and possibly dementia. Thus, short term use of HRT is considered an option by many.” states the study. Besides this, to manage the symptoms:

• Vaginal gels and creams can be used to prevent vaginal dryness.
• Calcium, antioxidants, and vitamin D supplements can be given to maintain proper bone density.
• Regular exercise is a must for women who have experienced premature menopause.
• Regular intake of milk and other calcium-rich foods at least twice a day can be helpful. Eat more fruits and vegetables, rich in fiber.
• Keep yourself well hydrated and limit your sugar intake.
• Avoid alcohol consumption and smoking.