Doctor may find early signs of premature menopause
Neucrad Health India News Desk July 1, 2019
Are you experiencing irregular or missed menstrual cycle all of a sudden? Have your periods become heavier or lighter than usual? You have confirmed that you are not pregnant. Doctor may find early signs of premature menopause. If you or any of your family members are experiencing premature menopause, then this blog would help you in resolving most of your queries. . In this write-up, we would discuss briefly the meaning, causes, symptoms, and complications related to this medical condition.
What is Menopause?
Menopause is the cessation of the menstrual cycle in the life of women. Doctors confirm it when a woman experiences the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months. It occurs when the ovary no longer produces eggs due to reduced oestrogen level. The average age when females usually undergo menopause is 51 years. However, physicians term the age group of 45 to 55 years as normal menopause age.
What is Early Menopause?
In some cases, women can also experience the onset of menopause before the age of 45. It is medically termed as early menopause or premature menopause. Menopause does not occur all of a sudden, prior to this condition, women undergo perimenopause when her menstrual cycle starts becoming irregular. This phase can last from several months to years before the actual onset of menopause.
What are the causes of Early Menopause?
There are several causes which can give rise to early menopause in women. Detailed below are some important ones.
Chromosomal Defects
Studies have found out that chromosomal aberration can be a leading cause for the early onset of menopause in females. Individuals suffering from Turner’s syndrome do not have perfectly formed ovaries. It is because they do not possess a second copy of the X chromosome. Some of them lack a part of the second X chromosome. In both these conditions, premature menopause is a common occurrence.
Genetics
As already pointed out, genetics also play a crucial role in developing early menopause. If there is a family history of this medical condition, then your chances of undergoing it in future increases considerably. However, more research is required in this line to prove the role of genes in early menopause substantially.
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune disease is a severe medical condition when the body’s defence mechanism mistakenly identifies body parts as foreign elements and start destroying it. Here, the immune system can also attack organs in the reproductive system, including ovary. Synthesis of the female reproductive hormone gets affected in such a condition. Women suffering from thyroid and rheumatoid arthritis tend to manifest this medical issue.
Oophorectomy
Oophorectomy is a surgical procedure where doctors remove the ovaries of women. Here she stops having her periods due to the sharp decline in reproductive hormones. It is known as induced menopause. In some cases, surgeons conduct hysterectomy where they remove the uterus keeping the ovaries intact. In this case, as well as females fail to have periods in the absence of the uterus.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy or radiations in the pelvic region during the course of cancer treatment can also cause premature menopause. Ovary becomes dysfunctional due to the side effects of chemotherapy drugs and women cease to have periods.
What are the symptoms of early menopause?
Symptoms of early menopause include:
- heavy bleeding
- irregular bleeding
- menstrual cycle lasting for more than 7 days
- spotting
- mood swings
- reduction in sexual drive
- vaginal dryness
- hot flashes
- interference in sleeping routine
- loss of bladder control
- night sweats
What are the complications of premature menopause?
There are some complications which may arise due to the early onset of menopause. Firstly, women have to deal with the challenges of infertility; they cannot conceive naturally after menopause even if they have the age and desire of raising a family. Accompanied by this physical incompetence, many individuals go through emotional distress and depression. Premature menopause also increases the risk of osteoporosis as a low oestrogen level can decrease their bone mass. Doctors recommend regular consumption of calcium and vitamin D supplement to counter this issue.
This was, in brief, the causes and challenges associated with early onset of menopause. Though it is difficult to reverse it, early treatment can delay this process. In 2016, a group of scientists in Greece had developed a new line of treatment where injecting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into ovaries could restore menstruation and ovulation cycle. So, there is nothing to panic, but take care of your health in proper time.
