Common Causes and Signs of Premature Menopause

Menopause eventually happens to every woman. Generally, most women experience menopause somewhere between the 48^th and 55^th year of their life. The common average age of the start of menopause in the United States is 51. However, there are many women that experience the start of menopause much early. Early menopause can be caused by a number of factors including genetics, medical reasons and autoimmune disorders. This is referred to as premature menopause and in many cases, this condition can be devastating to the young woman of normal childbearing age.

The ovaries ceasing to produce eggs for fertilization in a woman's body marks the start of menopause. So, menopause signals the cessation of the childbearing years. While older women may find this as a welcomed change in her life, this same news may be a crushing blow to a younger woman, particularly if she was looking forward to starting her own family. Premature menopause can be difficult to a younger woman, because it means that much-needed estrogen is depleted from her system before its time, putting her at a greater health risk than most women who experience menopause at a later age.

But what are the signs of premature menopause? Here is a closer look at the common causes and signs of early menopause.

Common causes of early menopause:

Infertility: In many cases of early menopause, the first sign is infertility. This is often noticed after a married couple decided they want to begin a family. After trying, they find they are unable to conceive. This realization is normally followed by a trip to the doctor to see why pregnancy is not occurring. Many times the reason of infertility is in fact, early menopause.

Heredity: Heredity also plays a large role in early menopause. If a woman's mother, sister or grandmother suffered from natural early menopause (and it was not caused by a hysterectomy), then she is at a greater risk from also having early menopause.

Diseases/health concerns: Women that undergo chemotherapy treatment for cancer have a higher risk of starting early menopause. Diabetes, lupus and an array of other autoimmune disorders can also disrupt the reproductive system and cause early menopause.

Common symptoms of early menopause:

Irregular menstrual cycles: This is the most common symptom of perimenopause, or early menopause. This means that the cycles may be very heavy one month and very light or non-existent the next month. Periods could last a few days one month or only a day or two the next month. Menopause is not considered complete until a woman has been one full year without a menstrual cycle.

Hot flashes: This is another extremely common side effect of menopause. Hot flashes can vary from woman to woman, but they generally mean that the woman feels a wave of heat that passes over the body. Sometimes these hot flashes are accompanied by a racing heart, a headache, nausea, sweating or, in the case of those with pale skin, a ruddy hue can tint the skin for the duration of the flash/flush. Following this, women often experience a faint chill or feeling of anxiety, while others complain of lightheadedness.

In addition to hot flashes, women in premature menopause may experience the same night sweats, vaginal dryness, bladder irritability or incontinence, dry skin, eyes and mouth, emotional changes or mood swings, insomnia, or a decrease in sex drive, which a woman experiencing standard menopause will experience.

The physical symptoms are not the only problems associated with early menopause. Many women feel quite emotional as they realize they are entering menopause early. If the woman has not started a family yet, she knows that she no longer has a chance of having children and must look to adopt. She may feel embarrassed about the physical symptoms and want to withdrawal from society.

Unfortunately, like naturally occurring menopause, there is no way of reversing it, nor is there any way of 'curing' or preventing premature menopause. Some women have found a degree of relief in receiving hormone replacement therapy, though this is not recommended for those who have been receiving chemotherapy or other radiation treatment, or for women who know that cancer runs in her family. The best bet is to see a doctor that is knowledgeable about early menopause and get recommendations on how best to deal with the symptoms. It is also a good idea to seek emotional support from family and friends, or even a professional counselor.