Early Menopause
Early menopause is more common than most women realize - it affects about 1% of women between the ages of 15 and 45. Early or premature menopause can occur for a variety of reasons, but in the end it leaves an imprint on the lives of all the women it affects.
Early onset menopause is often confused with premature menopause, but actually the two are different things. These terms hinge on the age of the woman involved; if menopause occurs before the age of 45, it is considered early menopause; if menopause occurs before the age of 40 it is considered premature menopause.
Early menopause is diagnosed by performing a physical exam and draw blood to rule out other conditions such as pregnancy and thyroid disease. Other test may also be requested to determine the levels of estradiol in the body. Estradiol is the most bioactive and potent of the estrogens found in the body and the most predominant estrogen produced by the human ovary prior to menopause. Estradiol is responsible for over 400 functions in the human body. Low levels of estradiol, a form of estrogen, can indicate that ovaries are starting to fail. When estradiol levels are below normal levels, it may signal that it is the start of the menopause period. However, the most important test used to diagnose early menopause is a blood test that measures follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is a pituitary gland hormone that stimulated the growth and aging of the follicles in the ovary. Furthermore, FSH causes the ovaries to produce estrogen. Therefore, when the ovaries slow down the production of estrogen in the body, the levels of FSH increase. If the levels of FSH levels rise above normal, it usually indicates the start of menopausal period.
Because doctors are finally beginning to recognize the symptoms of menopause in younger women, more and more women are being diagnosed with early or premature menopause. As a result, women who are experiencing infertility or are dealing with menopause symptoms at a young age no longer have to wonder why.
More often than not, doctors are unable to determine a cause for menopause in younger women. This can be very frustrating for women as it makes it difficult to accept and deal with this new stage of life. Sometimes though, there are very obvious causes of premature or early menopause.
Like all menopausal women, women in early menopause experience lowered estrogen levels as the ovaries stop most of its production of this hormone. Low levels of estrogen can lead to changes in a woman's overall health and may increase the risk for certain medical conditions such as osteoporosis. Other health risks associated with the loss of estrogen include increased risk for colon and ovarian cancer, gum disease and tooth loss or even cataract formation.
However, compared with women who go through menopause, women undergoing early menopause spend a greater portion of their lives without the protective benefits of estrogen. This puts these women at an even greater risk for the above mentioned menopause-related problems.
The symptoms and health risk of early menopause as well as the emotional issues that may result from it can be managed with the methods similar to those undergoing the menopausal stage.
Experiencing early menopause is a result of underlying process. Once the process has started, it is unlikely to be reversed.
By: Cathy
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