Menopause
Early menopause
If your periods stop before you are 40, you are said to have gone through an early (or premature) menopause.
The most common reason that women have an early menopause is if their
ovaries are removed by surgery. You might have this operation if you get ovarian cancer or another disease that damages your ovaries. It is usually carried out along with a
hysterectomy, an operation to remove your womb.
ovaries
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of their womb. They are small glands that store eggs. Inside the ovaries are millions of pre-eggs, called follicles. Some of these grow into eggs.
Women have two ovaries, one on each side of their womb. They are small glands that store eggs. Inside the ovaries are millions of pre-eggs, called follicles. Some of these grow into eggs.
hysterectomy
A hysterectomy is an operation to take out a woman's womb (also called her uterus) Sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed as well.
A hysterectomy is an operation to take out a woman's womb (also called her uterus) Sometimes the ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed as well.
If you have surgery that removes only your womb (and not your ovaries) or if only one ovary is removed, you might get some
symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, earlier than you would have normally. This might happen because removing your
womb reduces the blood flow to the ovary or ovaries.
Some medical treatments might cause an early menopause if they affect your pelvic area (the part of your body where your ovaries
sit).
Radiation therapy is sometimes used to treat cancer, but it can damage your ovaries. This can make it difficult to get pregnant or can cause
you to go through menopause early.
radiation therapy
This treatment uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. It's most often used for tumors that are hard to treat with surgery alone. You won't feel any pain during this treatment, but you may get some side effects afterward.
This treatment uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. It's most often used for tumors that are hard to treat with surgery alone. You won't feel any pain during this treatment, but you may get some side effects afterward.
If your ovaries are removed by surgery, your body can't produce eggs or make the hormones
estrogen or
progesterone. You won't have periods or be able to get pregnant. Similarly, if your ovaries are damaged, the egg cells on the surface
of the ovaries might be destroyed so they can't make enough of these hormones.
estrogen
Estrogen is the name given to three female sex hormones: oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Estrogen causes women's sexual development during puberty: it is needed to develop breasts, have periods and get pregnant. Estrogen is also thought to affect women's health in other ways. It may influence their mood, cholesterol levels and how their bones grow. Men have very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, but doctors aren't completely sure what it does. Estrogen is an important ingredient in most types of contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.
Estrogen is the name given to three female sex hormones: oestradiol, oestrone and oestriol. Estrogen causes women's sexual development during puberty: it is needed to develop breasts, have periods and get pregnant. Estrogen is also thought to affect women's health in other ways. It may influence their mood, cholesterol levels and how their bones grow. Men have very low levels of estrogen in their bodies, but doctors aren't completely sure what it does. Estrogen is an important ingredient in most types of contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy.
progesterone
Progesterone is a hormone that plays a part in a woman's menstrual cycle and in pregnancy. A form of this hormone made in the laboratory, called progestagen, is often added to contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Progesterone is a hormone that plays a part in a woman's menstrual cycle and in pregnancy. A form of this hormone made in the laboratory, called progestagen, is often added to contraceptive pills and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Some diseases can damage the ovaries. These diseases include
mumps (although damage to the ovaries is rare) and autoimmune diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis. If you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system (which defends your body against illness) doesn't work properly and
attacks your body's own organs and tissues.
mumps
Mumps is a disease caused by a virus. It's common for children to get mumps. Often you can have the virus without having any symptoms. But, sometimes it can give you swelling in the glands under your mouth and in other parts of your body. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine protects children from getting mumps.
Mumps is a disease caused by a virus. It's common for children to get mumps. Often you can have the virus without having any symptoms. But, sometimes it can give you swelling in the glands under your mouth and in other parts of your body. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine protects children from getting mumps.
rheumatoid arthritis
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your joints get painful, swollen and stiff. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by inflammation inside your joints. It happens when your immune system attacks the lining of your joints.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your joints get painful, swollen and stiff. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by inflammation inside your joints. It happens when your immune system attacks the lining of your joints.
Sometimes a women can have an early menopause without doctors being able to tell why.
In women who go through menopause naturally, hormone levels drop gradually. And even after a natural menopause, the ovaries might still be able to make some estrogen from other hormones called androgens.
But if you have surgery to remove your ovaries, you will have a sudden drop in your hormone levels.
1 This means you might have more severe symptoms than women who go through menopause naturally.
Source:
Bachmann G.
Physiologic aspects of natural and surgical menopause.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2001; 46 (supplement): S307-S315.
Bachmann G.
Physiologic aspects of natural and surgical menopause.
Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2001; 46 (supplement): S307-S315.
If you go through menopause early, you might also be at a higher risk of having certain health problems, such as
heart disease and
osteoporosis (a disease that makes your bones fragile so that they break easily). To find out more, see Osteoporosis and Heart disease.
heart disease
You get heart disease when your heart isn't able to pump blood as well as it should. This can happen for a variety of reasons.
You get heart disease when your heart isn't able to pump blood as well as it should. This can happen for a variety of reasons.
osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is when your bones get too brittle. It happens if not enough new bone tissue is growing to keep bones strong. If you have osteoporosis, the bones in your body may break easily.
Osteoporosis is when your bones get too brittle. It happens if not enough new bone tissue is growing to keep bones strong. If you have osteoporosis, the bones in your body may break easily.
If you have an early menopause, you might wish to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT can relieve symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness and feeling low. And there is good evidence that it protects
against osteoporosis and prevents fractures.
2
Source:
Beral V, Banks E, Reeves G.
Evidence from randomised trials on the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Lancet. 2002; 360: 942-944.
Beral V, Banks E, Reeves G.
Evidence from randomised trials on the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Lancet. 2002; 360: 942-944.
However, you need to weigh the benefits of taking HRT against the risks. This treatment increases your chances of getting breast cancer, blood clots and strokes.
2 It's worth discussing other treatments with your doctor if you are mainly worried about bone loss during menopause.
Source:
Beral V, Banks E, Reeves G.
Evidence from randomised trials on the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Lancet. 2002; 360: 942-944.
Beral V, Banks E, Reeves G.
Evidence from randomised trials on the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy.
Lancet. 2002; 360: 942-944.
For more details about treatments for symptoms of menopause, see What treatments work for menopause?
Sources for the information on this page:
- Bachmann G.Physiologic aspects of natural and surgical menopause.Journal of Reproductive Medicine. 2001; 46 (supplement): S307-S315.
- Beral V, Banks E, Reeves G.Evidence from randomised trials on the long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy.Lancet. 2002; 360: 942-944.
This information was last updated on Apr 09, 2009
This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.
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