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What is Premature Menopause?
Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. But what exactly is premature menopause and consequently, why is there not many talks, or research about it.
Definition :
Premature menopause, or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), is defined as being menopause that happens before the age of 40. Moreover, it is estimated to affect 1 in 100 women under the age of 40 years and 1 in 1000 women under the age of 30 years.
Premature menopause is different from onset menopause which occurs at around the average age (45-55 years), this means that the ovaries aren’t working properly. They stop producing eggs years before they normally would.
My experience
You would ask yourself, how does this affect a young 39 year old woman like me, well it does. It all started in May of 2020 when my monthly period did not come on its due date. I thought it was odd because I knew I was not pregnant, just to be sure I took 3 pregnancy tests. In addition to that, my husband had done a vasectomy the year prior.
Thinking it was the stress of the pandemic, the fear of the unknown, my marriage on the rocks, starting grad school, kids, work, it was just a lot going on. So, when another 3 months passed and still no menstrual I knew something was off.
Concern for my health, I scheduled a visit to see my GYN and told her my issue, she did some blood work and said maybe it was stress. I just needed to relax and that I should check back with her in another 4 months. Agreeing with my doctor it did even cross my mind that I was going into menopause.
Just out of the blue, I was speaking to my mom and told her what was going on and that’s when she told me she had the same issue at my age, premature menopause. She said she just dealt with it and didn’t feel the need to talk about it because there was no information.
Upon returning to see my doctor, my blood work came back fine and that I am anemic. I told her that my mom had the same issue at my age, and she told me that I was experiencing an early stage of menopause and that mine may be caused by genetics. Try to know your family history.
My GYN asked me if I wanted to take hormone medications to help regulate my cycle, but I declined. I wanted to do more research on the medicine and to be honest, I did not want a monthly cycle. Luckily for me, I already had my children.
But what about the women you are not so lucky like I am, where they don’t have children yet and want to start a family or do not have a mom to ask if she had that problem or just simply someone to talk to?
Let’s face it, this is a taboo subject that most people do not want to talk about. Consequently, many women are dealing with this problem and do not have anyone to talk to about it.
Shortly after that I started doing my own research on what premature menopause is and how common it is and if there is more info on it. Here is what I found out so far:
Causes and Symptoms
The exact cause of premature menopause is not always known, but it may be due to a variety of factors, including genetics, autoimmune disorders, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and certain infections.
Some women may also experience premature menopause as a result of surgical removal of both ovaries, called a bilateral oophorectomy.
The symptoms of premature menopause are similar to those of natural menopause, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood changes, and sleep disturbances. Many women experience a decrease in sex drive during menopause due to hormonal changes.
What are some of the risks
In addition to these symptoms, women with premature menopause may also experience a greater risk of osteoporosis ( my mom has) and heart disease due to reduced levels of estrogen. Women with premature menopause may also have difficulty conceiving a child, and may need to consider options such as egg donation or adoption if they wish to have children.
Suffering in silence
There are not many people talking about premature, early or even full onset menopause and why is that. Is it that much of a taboo to speak about what is going on inside of a woman’s body?
Even my own sisters don’t even know that I am in premature menopause. If I did not have that conversation with my mom I properly would have been suffering in silence.
But for me I can see it is genetics, just like my mom I do not suffer from hot flashes, irritability, severe sweating, which are some of the common symptoms.
Ask your doctor
It’s important to note that not all women experience the same symptoms during premature, early or full on menopause, and some may not experience any at all.
If you are experiencing symptoms that are affecting your daily life, talk to your doctor about treatment options. They can perform tests to evaluate your hormone levels and determine the best treatment options for your specific situation.
