Early Menopause
Early menopause (also known as premature menopause) used to mean menopause that occurs well below the more usual age of menopause, that is, if it occurs between the ages of 20 and 40.
Usually, the average age at which most women will have finished their menopause by will be at around 51 years. Therefore, going by this figure, we can expect that the majority of women will be going through the change between the ages of about 47 to about 53.
Usually it is quite difficult to determine the actual cause of premature menopause.
Sometimes, genetic factors can have a bearing on this, as can stress, a poor diet and heavy smoking and drinking. It is also known that autoimmune diseases can affect the onset of menopause (these typically tend to be disorders that arise from an imbalance in the immune system).
Sometimes, it is simply down to the fact that a woman is more likely to have an early menopause because of the likelihood that she was born with fewer eggs in her ovaries.
Other times, treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy have the power to destroy larger numbers of eggs which means that there will be fewer eggs left. Further, if the ovaries are affected by severe viral infections, such as mumps, for example, this can also cause a lot of damage to the eggs that a woman has.
If, for whatever reason, a woman has to have her ovaries surgically removed before the age of forty (hence she is no longer producing ovarian hormones), then this will bring about the sudden onset of a severe early menopause, especially if hormone replacement is not taken.
A hysterectomy, or any other type of pelvic surgery that affects the flow of blood to the ovaries may also cause ovarian failure over time.
Premature ovarian failure is a condition that used to be known as premature menopause, however, POF (as it is commonly referred to) does not necessarily mean that the ovaries have run out of eggs. It can be more a case that the body is not responding to the signs to ovulate – even though the eggs are present.
There is yet another condition, known as "diminished ovarian reserve" in which a woman can get fairly regular periods, but still experience the symptoms of the menopause. If this occurs before the age of forty, then it is often seen as a precursor to POF (premature ovarian failure).
Those women who go through early menopause are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, in order to combat these diseases, any woman who finds herself going through menopause early, should ensure that she starts to take HRT as this will provide her with protective measures – provided she takes HRT for a considerable amount of time and does not give up medication half way. Of course, this is an important subject that should be discussed with your doctor.
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Early Menopause related book…
Before Your Time: The Early Menopause Survival Guide Evelina W Sterling Fireside , published: 2010-04-13 B004R96TSW 441657 $6.24 (new), $6.00 (used)
HAS “THE CHANGE” COME TOO SOON ? DON’ T WORRY, YOU’RE NOT ALONE!
Every year more than two million women enter early menopause and find themselves suddenly dealing with a host of unforeseen (and little discussed) issues. In Before Your Time , Evelina Weidman Sterling and Angie Best-Boss provide expert advice and answer all your questions, including:
Is it safe to start hormone therapy in your thirties rather than in your fifties?
What are your fertility options?
How can you combat the long-term effects of early menopause, such as a greater risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and diabetes?
How will early menopause affect your relationships? Your sex life? Your sense of self?
Before Your Time brings you the best-researched, most up-to-date answers to all those tough-to-ask questions. The good news: there is more research and information available now than ever before to keep you safe and healthy, and it’s all right here!
Early Menopause Related News:
Menopause: A change for the better…or worse?
The doctor said, very matter-of-factly, ‘You are going through the menopause and you won’t be able to have children.’ I was shocked; I had never even heard of premature menopause. Luckily I was in a relationship with a supportive partner, otherwise it…
Hormone-Replacement Follies: A Brief History
Medical menopause, however, was born much more recently. For this, we can give a date — situated in the early 1940s when the FDA approved estrogen replacement for the treatment of menopause and its related symptoms. We like to believe that necessity …
Early Menopause related articles from the blogosphere…
Genes, stress and smoking to blame for premature menopause …
‘The reasons for premature menopause hereditary, but also encourage external factors: radiation, drugs or food, and poor living habits, and stress and smoking. Nicotine is overwhelming for women because it is a powerful vasoconstrictor, …
Publish Date: 04/16/2011 4:49
http://www.entertainmentnews24.com/genes-stress-and-smoking-to-blame-for-premature-menopause/2625/
Teflon chemical linked to early menopause | Preventive Health …
She says her study of nearly 26000 women between the ages of 18 and 65 showed an association between higher exposures to the chemical, lower levels of the female hormone estradiol and early menopause in women over the age of 42. …
Publish Date: 03/28/2011 11:25
http://www.preventivehealth.in/cms/content/teflon-chemical-linked-early-menopause.html
Extreme hot flashes during menstrual period? | Menopause Blog
Could be your hormones are out of whack. I don’t really think you are going through early menopause . Menopause symptoms don’t normally occur while your having your period. Go see the doc and get some relief from these awful symptoms. …
Publish Date: 04/16/2011 12:27
http://www.goomenopause.com/archives/extreme-hot-flashes-during-menstrual-period.html
Pregnancy & Menopause : Early Menopause Signs & Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of early menopause, which is known as premature ovarian failure, include the absence of a menstrual cycle for several months in a row, especially if this occurs under the age of 40. Find out if early menopause is a possibility …
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