Early Menopause
The definition of early
menopause is menopause before or by the age of 40. Chemotherapy, surgery and
premature ovarian failure might be one of the factors causing early menopause.
One-hundredth of women in our
country might actually experience early menopause, and this tends to be very
similar to regular menopause symptoms. There are some women in their teens and
twenties who are also experiencing early menopause. Hot flashes and the timing
and length of the cycle are common.
Some women may experience
premature ovarian failure. This will cause early menopause, which through
various studies, is thought to be due to hormonal or genetic processes. This
results in a lower number of viable eggs in the woman's body that can
fertilized and lower her chances of having children.
This could be complete or
partial, which affects approximately ten percent of women who have premature
ovarian failure. The possibility of getting pregnant is greatly reduced but
still favorable. Female twins, through recent research are four times more
likely to experience premature menopause. It could happen to one or both.
Surgery can also be the cause
of early menopause, either when the ovaries are removed or have been damaged
during the surgical process. Typically there is a sudden reduction in
progesterone and estrogen levels and menopause can come on immediately.
The more abrupt the hormonal
changes are, the more intense the menopausal symptoms will be causing more
emotional distress that can already be influenced by menopause.
Cancer is another cause of
early menopause. The drugs can damage ovarian tissue as well as chemotherapy
treatments. Sometimes, however, chemotherapy-induced menopause might just be
temporary.
Another cause can be a drug
called,Tamoxifen, prescribed for certain types of breast cancer. Because of
the hormones that are affected can also trigger early menopause because of its
anti-estrogen effect.
Women who have not finished
having families find that early menopause can be very upsetting and extremely
stressful on both her and her husband, especially younger women who are newly
married and ready to have a family.
It might be advisable to seek
counseling to confront emotional issues as well as receive treatment of the
menopausal symptoms
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