In the U.S., the average age of natural menopause onset is 51 years. However, about one per cent of women go through menopause before the age of 40 because of genetics, illness, medical procedures, or unknown causes. Whether the cause is natural or induced, menopause that occurs before the age of 40 is called premature menopause, premature ovarian failure, or early menopause.
Hormonally, premature menopause resembles natural menopause. The ovaries aren’t working properly. They stop producing eggs and hormones years, and in some cases even decades, before they should.
Symptoms of Premature Menopause
Premature menopause causes the same symptoms of perimenopause that occur with natural menopause, such as hot flashes, irregular periods, and mood swings. But they may be more intense because premature menopause occurs at such a young age and is often abrupt and unexpected. The body-mind doesn’t have a chance to gradually prepare for the changes associated with menopause. So many women undergoing premature menopause have to cope with additional physical and mental challenges.
How Is Premature Menopause Diagnosed?
Doctors suspect premature menopause when women younger than 40 have menopausal symptoms that can’t be explained any other way.
Your doctor will probably give you a physical exam and perform various blood tests to rule out other conditions, such as pregnancy and thyroid disease. Levels of estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormone are measured. Low levels of estradiol, a form of estrogen, can indicate that your ovaries are starting to fail. However, the most important test used to diagnose premature menopause is a blood test that measures follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH causes your ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone. When your ovaries slow down and start to fail, your levels of FSH increase.
Additional tests may be done to help doctors identify the cause of premature menopause and thus evaluate a woman’s health risks and recommend treatment.
For women younger than 35, a chromosome analysis may be done. If a chromosomal abnormality is detected, additional procedures and treatment may be required.
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