Menopause

The natural menopause occurs in most women around the age of 50 however the established age range is anywhere from 40-58 years of age. If a women begins to experience the symptoms of the menopause before the age of 40 she is said to be having an early or premature menopause. This happens in around 15% of women and there are a number of risk factors that can increase the likelihood of an early menopause.

1. A family history of early menopause. Statistics show that many women go through menopause at roughly the same age as their mother did and so if the mother experienced an early menopause then there is a slight risk that the daughter will as well. This is by no means a certainty however it should be kept in mind if there is a family connection.

2. Autoimmune diseases - these chronic illnesses are characterised by an abnormal immune system that regularly attacks the body's tissues because it think they are foreign entities. Occasionally the immune system can attack the tissues of the ovaries or the hormone oestrogen as it travels around the body and this eventually results in menopause. Although this doesn't happen often it is known to occur, especially in women who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes or lupus from an early age.

3. Smoking - cigarette smoking is known to cause early menopause and a smoker will experience the first symptoms of the menopause approximately 1-3 years earlier than if they didn't smoke. It has recently been discovered that cigarette smoke contains a number of chemicals which can bind with eggs in the ovaries to kill them. This means that there are fewer viable eggs left and the ovaries go into premature failure, so bringing on the menopause.

4. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy - these common treatments for cancer can result in temporary menopause or occasionally permanent early menopause, depending on the length of time they were used for. Early menopause which is due to the effects of chemotherapy is often reversible and the ovaries begin to function again soon after the treatment is stopped, unless of course the treatment was being used to combat ovarian or uterine cancer and then it is probable that the menopause is permanent. Radiotherapy is much the same however treatment for any form of cancer within the pelvic region i.e. cervical, uterine, and ovarian, bladder, kidney, lymphoma etc. can cause the early menopause to occur.

5. Surgery in the region of the pelvic floor - occasionally surgery to treat an unrelated problem can cause small amounts of damage to the ovaries and this can bring on early menopause. Similarly the removal of the ovaries i.e. because of disease will result in immediate menopause as it is the ovaries that regulate the production of oestrogen and thus the menstrual cycle.

Luckily very few women have to cope with an early menopause and if early symptoms are felt they can be counteracted to a certain degree with hormone replacement therapy. Once the menopause starts it can't be stopped however it is still possible to get pregnant at the beginning of the pre-menopausal phase. Thus anyone who undergoes an early menopause may still have a chance of conceiving a child.

Risks Of Early Menopause |