Ah, menopause. The very word conjures up images of cranky, middle-aged women sweating like crazy in the middle of winter. Sometimes, though, women begin to experience menopause before they are in their mid to late forties. There are a few things that can cause a woman to experience menopause early, including removal of or damage to her ovaries, autoimmune disorders, and genetics.
Your family’s health history may influence whether you experience menopause early for two reasons. One reason is that most women go through menopause at approximately the same age that their mother did. You may want to ask your mom about it, even though it is a bit of an awkward conversation topic, just so that you can know and so you can let your doctor know. A family history of early menopause does not guarantee that you will go through menopause early, but it can help you to detect it early if you begin to experience symptoms that leave you thinking “No, it couldn’t be menopause, not yet”.
The other way in which family history can affect the age at which you experience menopause is that early menopause can be caused by certain chromosomal irregularities. Fragile X Syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality which affects the production of eggs. Women with Fragile X Syndrome have fewer eggs in their ovaries than women that don’t, so they experience menopause earlier. Turner’s Syndrome affects the development of the ovaries. Women with Turners’s Syndrome experience menopause earlier because their ovaries do not fully develop or develop irregularly.
If your period goes missing and you begin experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings before your mid-forties, tell your doctor. Your doctor can help you to determine whether you are experiencing early menopause. The treatments for early menopause are the same as those for menopause that occurs at the usual age. Hormone replacement therapy is one treatment option, and there are also natural remedies that can help with the symptoms of menopause. Don’t forget to ask your mother about menopause – if you are at risk for early menopause due to a family health history of early menopause, there may come a time that you’ll be glad that you had that awkward conversation.