07/09/2023 / Gynecology and Motherhood
What is Premature Menopause or Premature Ovarian Failure?
Menopause is a natural process which plays a major role in women’s life. Premature menopause is very common nowadays with changing lifestyles, let’s understand more about it.
Table of Content
What is Menopause?
It is a time when women’s ovaries stop producing hormones and as a result, periods stop. The literal meaning is meno: menses pause: stoppage, cessation of menses due to estrogen deficiency.
It is not a disease, but rather a life cycle process in females. This period lasts for about 5 to 7 years and sometimes up to 14 years. The median age for menopause is 45 to 55.
The duration of menopause depends on a lot of lifestyle factors such as smoking, race and ethnicity.
What are the Symptoms of menopause?
The major hormone in a woman’s body is estrogen which is utilized by many parts of her body, hence when its level drops by a considerable amount it shows a lot of symptoms as follow:
1. Change in your period
The most important and first symptom is an irregularity in your periods. You start to notice that your bleeding is less or more, and periods are not regular on a monthly basis.
2. Hot flashes
This occurs as a result of low levels of estrogen, heavy sweating, or shivering all of a sudden normally called as night sweats this last up to 10 minutes or less,
3. Sleep Problems
Trouble getting better sleep, waking up early, and the entire sleep pattern disturbs.
4. Mood swings: You easily get irritated, and you feel stressed.
All of these symptoms are indications of menopause, to confirm always consult a physician.
Is it menopause time?
A woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for twelve months in a row. This is commonly seen between the 45 to 55 years of age.
You think you have exact menopause symptoms, you are in the right age of menopause, you cannot confirm the menopause initiation or end. Instead of connecting dots in your mind, always consult a physician for any change in periods, physical pain and any symptoms that bother you, because-
1. Sometimes, the doctor needs your blood test for your FSH (follicular stimulating hormone) and E2 (estradiol) levels.
2. True menopause does not start until one year after your final menstrual period.
3. Surgical removal of ovaries also triggers menopause. (ovaries produce hormones in a woman's body).
What is ovarian failure?
Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), or ovarian failure or premature menopause and premature ovarian failure are synonyms of only one condition according to the National Cancer Institute.
Ovarian failure is where ovaries completely stop working and as a result periods stop even before the ideal age of menopause that is before 40.
It leads to problems like infertility and early menopause symptoms.
There are 2 types:
Primary is where normal ovarian function stops, it could also be a result of surgical removal of ovaries or any cancer treatment side effect.
Secondary ovarian failure are completely fine and working, here the signals received by ovaries are destroyed due to pituitary gland or hypothalamus disease.
Ovarian failure symptoms
Here are symptoms indicating ovarian failure.
These symptoms vary from woman to woman, because this is affected by a lot of factors in a woman’s life including her physical fitness, mental health, exercise, familial history, stress, diet, etc.
1. Menstrual irregularities
2. Irregular periods to too frequent periods.
3. Loss of periods for 3 months or more.
4. Infertility or subfertility.
5. Hot flashes
6. Vaginal dryness
7. Sleep disturbances
8. Hair loss (alopecia)
9. Fatigue
10. Anxiety/ depression
11. Vitiligo (autoimmune)
12. Goitre (autoimmune)
Premature ovarian failure investigation
It is a natural process of gradual degeneration of ovarian follicles in the female body. When this process occurs before the age of 40 it is called a premature event.
The investigation or diagnosis of ovarian failure is done by following,
Weight fluctuations
Fatigue
Muscle and skin health
Skin pigmentation
Family medical history
Family history of POI
Menstrual cycle detailed history
Pattern of menses/periods
Gonad toxic exposure
Thyroid disease history
Diabetes mellitus
Tobacco exposure
Mental retardation history
Recurrence of pregnancy loss
Genetic disease history
Elevated serum FSH level
Normal Follicular Stimulating hormone levels are
1. During puberty: 0.3 to 10 IU/L
2. Still menstruating women: 4.5 to 21.5 IU/L
3. After menopause: 25 to 134 IU/L
To confirm this FSH levels test should be taken at two different times with a gap of one month apart.
Ovarian failure causes
Most cases of POI around 90% are idiopathic in nature and lead to a lot of secondary complications as:
More than 20% of women with POI or in the initial stage of POI will surely manifest at least one autoimmune disease. Like associated with-
Hashimoto’s disease
Grave’s disease
Addison’s disease (failure of the adrenal gland).
Type-1 diabetes mellitus (Most common).
Mumps
Oophoritis
Tuberculosis
Malaria
Cytomegalovirus infection
Low thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) triggers weight gain in females with POI, it is a very common symptom of POI.
Estrogen plays a vital role in bone health and function. Women with menopause experience weak bones, and declining bone strength, due to the decreased concentration of estrogen.
Premenopause could damage bone health to the risk of bone fracture. Hence women in their 40 and 50 needs to take care of themselves with changes in lifestyle, daily exercise, and vitamin supplements.
It also creates psychological havoc in some women. Women start feeling insecure about early aging, infertility, low self-esteem, depression symptoms etc.
How to reverse premature ovarian failure naturally?
Current treatment for the ovarian follicle or POI is hormone replacement therapy, managing symptoms, lowering the risk of developing osteoporosis, heart disease.
But, are there any ways to solve this?
There are not 100% sure natural ways to treat premature ovarian failure. But you have few natural options to manage the symptoms.
1. Avoid smoking
2. Avoid alcohol consumption
3. Have a balanced diet
4. Regular exercise:
i. Squats
ii. Cardio sessions
iii. Running
iv. Weight lifting
v. Zumba
vi. Yoga
vii. Walking
Take-Home Points
Menopause is a natural process of a woman’s life that starts in their late 40s.
To maintain a natural flow and health we all need to take care of our health and fitness, regular exercise, and diet are small steps to achieve our goal for a healthy life.
There is no natural way to cure premenopause or natural menopause, there are plenty of options to manage the symptoms.
References
FAQ on What is premature menopause
Every woman experiences menopause in a different way. Some women may not experience any noticeable symptoms, while others may feel as if they are experiencing every listed symptom of menopause.
Symptoms can last for a few months or for several years and are caused by changes in the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Women are usually in their late 40s or early 50s when the menopause transition starts. However, an earlier menopause can be the result of surgery, cancer treatment, or family genetics.
Women are usually in their late 40s or early 50s when the menopause transition starts. However, an earlier menopause can be the result of surgery, cancer treatment, or family genetics.
A woman who has a hysterectomy, but keeps her ovaries does not have menopause right away. Because your uterus is removed, you no longer have periods and cannot get pregnant.
Your ovaries might still make hormones, so you might not have other signs of menopause. Later on, you might have natural menopause a year or two earlier than usually expected.
Avoid triggers, such as:
Spicy foods
Alcohol
Caffeine
Stress
Lower estrogen around the time of menopause leads to bone loss in women. Bone loss can cause bones to weaken, which can cause bones to break more easily.
To keep your bones strong, women need weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, climbing stairs, or using weights. You can also protect bone health by eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D.
If needed, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements
Yes. After menopause, women are more likely to have cardiovascular problems, like heart attacks and strokes. Changes in estrogen levels may be part of the cause, but so is getting older.
Yes, problems with sexual function occur in women of all ages. These include problems with sexual interest, arousal, orgasm function, and pain.
Try using a plant-based vaginal lubricant coconut or olive oil to help make sex more comfortable. You can also try using an over-the-counter vaginal moisturizer.
You’re not alone–50% of women ages 40 to 59 report poor sleep quality. Follow these tips to improve your sleep hygiene:
Be physically active during the day.
Avoid large meals, smoking, and working right before bed.
Establish a bedtime routine.
Wear lightweight clothing.
For females with a uterus, HT involves the hormones estrogen and progestogen. Women who don’t have a uterus anymore use estrogen alone.
You should not take HT if you:
Think you are pregnant
Have undiagnosed vaginal bleeding
Have had breast cancer or uterine cancer
Have had a stroke or heart attack
Have had blood clots
Have liver disease or heart disease
Many women report memory loss changes during menopause. Getting enough sleep and being active might help. However, if memory loss is affecting your daily life, see a doctor.
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