women s health issues
Premature Menopause
Introduction
Premature menopause is the permanent end of menstrual periods before age 40. It occurs because the ovaries no longer release eggs (ovulation) regularly and stop producing the usual premenopausal levels of reproductive hormones. Some women have no symptoms except absence of menstrual periods, but others have infertility or the same symptoms as those of natural menopause (such as hot flashes or night sweats). Blood tests can confirm the diagnosis, and other tests are done to identify the cause. Various measures, including estrogen (typically taken until about age 51, when menopause occurs on average), can relieve or reduce symptoms. To become pregnant, women with premature menopause may be given fertility treatments (such as using eggs from another woman implanted in their uterus). Hormonally, premature menopause resembles Perimenopause symptoms . The ovaries produce very little or no 