For several reasons, a woman may go through menopause before the usual age of 50. So what happens in the body?
There menopause is a period characterized by stopping menstruation in women, ovarian function and therefore the end of the reproductive period. It manifests itself by several symptoms such as hot flashesnight sweats, sleep disorders… For various causesit sometimes occurs early. The influencer Caroline Receveuraged 36 years and treated for breast cancer since July 2023, for example declared in January 2024 on Instagram that hormone therapy that she was going to follow “put in menopause for several years. Depending on the type of hormone therapy treatments, menopause may be reversible.
Definition: what is early menopause?
On average, menopause occurs around age 50-51. When it occurs earlier, between 40 and 45 years oldexperts speak of “early menopause“, which is characterized by “premature ovarian failure”. One in 100 women would be affected. “The diagnosis is only made when the periods have been absent for at least a year and will be confirmed by hormonal tests“, explains Dr Odile Bagot, gynecologist, author “Menopause, don’t panic!” (Ed. Mango).
What are the causes of early menopause?
Early menopause can be induced by ovarian surgery (removal of the ovaries), chemotherapy, hormone therapy or radiotherapy. Certain pathologies can also be responsible for early menopause such as autoimmune diseases : lupus, Crohn’s disease, hypothyroidism, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis… Finally, genetic is also incriminated, early menopause can in fact be hereditary. In other words, a mother who had an early menopause may have a daughter who will also have menopause earlier than average. Genetic causes are not systematic.
What are the symptoms of early menopause?
The symptoms of menopause, whether early or not, are many and varied, but not all women may experience them all:
- Absence of periods for a year, a period which may be preceded by cycle disorders.
- Insomnia or sleep disturbances
- Hot flashes
- Mood disturbances or irritability
- Decreased libido
- Vaginal dryness
What are the consequences on the body?
Estrogen deficiency can have health implications such as bone fragility responsible for fractures, and a greater risk of cardiovascular illnesses. Another consequence: an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. According to an American study published in 2017 in the journal Diabetologia, postmenopausal women between the ages of 40 and 44 have a risk of developing this metabolic disease multiplied by 2.4. Early menopause has a impact on fertility. Women who go through menopause very early have “less time” to carry out a parental project, that is to say, to conceive a child. A postmenopausal woman can no longer get pregnant.
Diagnosis: a hormonal assessment to measure the FSH level
The diagnosis of early menopause is based on a questioning of the woman’s medical and family history, a hormonal assessment and possibly an ultrasound or even a laparoscopy. Hormonal assessment confirms premature ovarian failure. In case of early menopause, “the level of follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH is then very high and that of estrogen is at its lowest“, specifies Dr Bagot.
Treatment for a woman experiencing early menopause is based on “hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescribed in the absence of contraindicationexplains Dr. Bagot. Most often, it is administered via the skin (gel or patch) which is combined with an oral progestin, except in the case of hysterectomy.“. This hormonal treatment makes it possible to avoid all health problems linked to estrogen deficiency and to overcome the symptoms of menopause.
Thanks to Dr Odile Bagot, gynecologist, author “Menopause, don’t panic!” (Eds. Mango) and the Mam Gynéco blog.