Menopause and You

Your responses indicate that you may be experiencing premature or early menopause. Premature or early menopause can be triggered by several hormonal changes. Premature menopause occurs before the age of 40 years while early menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 45 years. Causes of premature menopause include:

• A surgical procedure, such as removal your ovaries (oophorectomy)
• Ovarian damage from chemotherapy or radiation therapy
• Medication-induced ovarian suppression
• Primary ovarian insufficiency, often caused by unknown factors, but may include autoimmune, or genetic abnormalities
• Other reasons for irregular menses may include other disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid, and prolactin disorders.

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