Early menopause needs careful management to guard a woman's health

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

The management of early menopause requires input from a specialist in hormonal disorders.
Menopause normally begins around age 50, but for some women it can occur much sooner. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic explain that there are various causes for this condition. Premature menopause occurs when ovarian function is lost before the age of 40, with no more periods and no more possibility of pregnancy. In premature ovarian failure, there may be intermittent, unpredictable ovulation for many years but pregnancy is very unlikely. Around one per cent of American women experience premature ovarian failure at an average age of 27.

Treatment-induced menopause can occur after chemotherapy, radiotherapy and, of course, after removal of the ovaries. Standard treatment for early menopause of any kind is hormone therapy until the age of natural menopause. This raises concerns over the potential health risks of taking hormones over many years. Although the Women's Health Initiative did point to various risks, it appears that these may not apply in the same way to women with early menopause. Moreover, each woman's experience of early menopause is different. That is why those affected need the input of a specialist who is experienced in hormonal disorders.

Source
Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource February 2007

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