Early menopause occurs before age 40, and brings with it health risks.

We talk about menopause when the woman stops producing estrogens and, as a result, she definitely stops menstruating. It is usually happened at ages between 45 and 55 years , but sometimes can be advanced. If it occurs before 40, then it would be a case listed as early menopause.

The causes are usually genetic, usually women who have menopause at an early age have a family history with similar cases. However, there may be factors that have triggered the cessation of estrogen production, the most common being premature ovarian failure, where the ovaries cease to function properly, or having undergone a hysterectomy (tubal ligation or removal of the uterus or ovaries). Other possible causes are the effect of medical treatment, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and suffering from an autoimmune disease.

Possible Confusion and Symptoms Of Menopause

The symptoms of early menopause are similar to the symptoms of menopause at its natural age. These include hot flashes, tachycardias, headaches, insomnia, mood swings, progressive or sudden withdrawal of the period, joint pain, vaginal dryness and decreased sexual desire, among others.

One of the biggest concerns due to early menopause is the impossibility of getting pregnant

In many cases, it is possible to confuse early Menopause with other alterations that provoke the absence of menstruation, once discarded that the reason is a pregnancy. When there is the absence of menstruation over an extended period of time is called amenorrhea. This can be due to many factors: alterations or pathologies in the reproductive system, hormonal alterations, as a result of contraceptive administration, obesity, extreme weight loss, stress, etc.

Treatment of early menopause

Early menopause has both physical and emotional consequences. The withdrawal of menstruation makes women no longer have a chance to be mothers, and when this happens at an early age can be a very large and unexpected emotional blow.

However, premature menopause also carries many health risks, as estrogens protect us from many diseases and ailments. Women who reach menopause sooner are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, especially women who smoke, and osteoporosis because lacking estrogen can cause the body to lose bone mass continuously, and \before starting this process, more mass will be lost.

Early menopause increases risk of osteoporosis

For all this, women with early menopause should undergo treatment to avoid these possible pathologies. Generally, hormone replacement therapy is used, which consists of the administration of sex hormones that the ovaries no longer produce, ie estrogen and progesterone. In turn, a calcium-based treatment may be started to prevent osteoporosis, as well as a series of physical activity and dietary recommendations to decrease the likelihood of developing menopausal-associated illnesses.

Hormone treatment will not allow the ovaries to re-function properly and the woman can become pregnant, however, there are exceptional cases in which it can occur. However, the known reasons are not known and can not be predicted.

Finally, the emotional alterations associated with early menopause, which appears unexpectedly, are usually temporary, but if they persist in time it may be necessary to go to a psychologist. This happens especially in cases where the woman is very affected by the impossibility of being a mother.