- What is menopause?
- Most women begin menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. The average age for menopause onset in the United States is 51 years old.
- Early menopause usually refers to onset before age 45. Premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency occurs before age 40.
- Menopause occurs when your ovaries stop producing eggs, resulting in low estrogen levels. Estrogen is the hormone that controls the reproductive cycle.
- Someone is in menopause when they haven’t had a period for more than 12 months. But associated symptoms, such as hot flashes, start long before menopause during a phase called perimenopause.
- Anything that damages your ovaries or stops estrogen production can cause early menopause. This includes chemotherapy for cancer or an oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries).
- In these cases, your doctor will help prepare you for early menopause. But your body can also start menopause early even if your ovaries are still inside you.
What are the symptoms of early menopause?
Early menopause can begin as soon as you start having irregular periods or periods that are noticeably longer or shorter than your typical cycle.
Other symptoms of early menopause include:
- heavy bleeding
- spotting
- periods that last longer than a week
- a longer amount of time inbetween periods
In these cases, contact your doctor to check for any other issues that might be causing these symptoms.
Other common symptoms of menopause include:
- mood swings
- changes in sexual feelings or desire
- vaginal dryness
- trouble sleeping
- hot flashes
- night sweats
- loss of bladder control
What causes early menopause?
There are several known causes of early menopause, but sometimes the cause cannot be determined.
Genetics
If there’s no obvious medical reason for early menopause, the cause is likely genetic. Your age at menopause onset is likely inherited.
Knowing when your parent started menopause can provide clues about when you’ll start your own. If your parent started menopause early, you’re more likely than average to do the same.
However, genes tell only half the story.
Lifestyle factors
Some lifestyle factors may have an impact on when you begin menopause. Smoking affects estrogen and can contribute to early menopause.
Some researchTrusted Source suggests that long-term or regular smokers are likely to experience menopause sooner. Women who smoke may start menopause 1 to 2 years earlier than women who don’t smoke.
Body mass index (BMI) can also factor into early menopause. Estrogen is stored in fat tissue. Women who are very thin have fewer estrogen stores, which can be depleted sooner.
Some research also suggests that a vegetarian diet, lack of exercise, and lack of sun exposure throughout your life can all cause an early onset of menopause.
Chromosome issues
Some chromosomal issues can lead to early menopause. For example, Turner syndrome (also called monosomy X and gonadal dysgenesis) involves being born with an incomplete chromosome.
Women with Turner syndrome have ovaries that don’t function as expected. This often causes them to enter menopause prematurely.
Other chromosomal issues can cause early menopause, too. This includes pure gonadal dysgenesis, a variation on Turner syndrome.
In this condition, the ovaries don’t function. Instead, periods and secondary sex characteristics must be brought about by hormone replacement therapy, usually during adolescence.
Women with Fragile X syndrome, or who are genetic carriers of the disease, may also have early menopause. This syndrome is passed down in families.
You can discuss genetic testing options with your doctor if you have premature menopause or if you have family members who had premature menopause.