• Healthy State
  • Careers
  • Education
  • Research
  • Giving
Ochsner Health Ochsner Health
  • About
  • Find A Doctor (current)
  • Find A Location
  • Specialties & Treatments
MyOchsner Logo
Login | Signup
Submit Search magnifying glass icon
Close Search X icon
  •   Home
  • In To Your Health...
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
  • I need to...
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Location
  • Find A Specialty
  • Schedule An Appointment
  • Pay A Bill
  • Explore
  • About Ochsner
  • Careers
  • Patients & Visitors
  • "To Your Health" Blog
  • Health Resources
  • Medical Professionals
  • Education
  • Philanthropy
  • Community Outreach
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Research
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Schedule an Appointment
  • Call: 1-866-624-7637
  • Online: Login to MyOchsner
  • Personalize your content
  • patient Edit Persona Persona Chooser
To Your Health

View Newsletter Editions
  • Food & Fitness
  • Conditions & Treatment
  • Health Trends
  • Prevention & Wellness
  • Women's Health
  • Men's Health
  • Mental Health
  • Parenting
Premature menopause symptoms

What is Premature Menopause?

Oct 8, 2021 |
By Tammy Gillett, NP
Share Facebook Logo Twitter Logo Pinterest Logo Email Logo

Premature menopause is menopause that happens before the age of 40. On average, a woman goes into menopause in her early 50s, so going into menopause before the age of 40 is rare. In fact, premature menopause typically affects 1% of women under age 40, and the cause for this phenomenon is often unknown, but there are certain surgeries, medical or genetic conditions and chemotherapy agents that can cause early menopause. If you’re under the age of 40, how do you know if you’re experiencing early menopause?

The first symptom of menopause is several missed periods in a row. If a woman misses her period for 12 consecutive months, she is considered to have entered menopause. If you miss your period for several months, but then you finally have a period, you are not entering menopause. However, you may have other underlying health issues and should visit your doctor.

In addition to a missed period, common symptoms of menopause include:

  • Periods that happen very close together
  • Periods that last more than one week
  • Period returns after no bleeding for more than a year
  • Heavy bleeding
  • Spotting (light vaginal bleeding that happens outside of regular periods)
  • Hot flashes. A hot flash is a sudden heat in your body. You may feel it in your face and neck or all over your body.
  • Vaginal dryness, which can lead to uncomfortable sex
  • Bladder control issues
  • Trouble falling asleep or waking up too early
  • Changes in your sex drive
  • Mood changes and irritation
  • Tiredness
  • Changes in your body such as weight gain or weight loss
  • Increased frequency of headaches

Menopause symptoms typically disappear after four or five years after your last cycle, but you may continue to experience some mild symptoms (such as hot flashes) after other symptoms have stopped. If you enter menopause early, you will have issues with infertility. However, it is may be possible for a woman in early menopause to still become pregnant with fertility treatment.

Increased Health Risks and Treatment

Menopause comes with an increase in other health problems, including bladder control issues, oral health issues, heart disease and a risk of osteoporosis. For women who enter menopause prematurely, there are additional risks, including early death, neurological diseases, psychiatric diseases and infertility. Hormone therapy may help reduce the risks of these problems.

Women in menopause should still get regular checkups, including mammograms, Pap tests and other regular examinations. You should also continue to eat foods high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and other essential nutrients and continue to practice safe sex to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

If you’re having symptoms commonly associated with menopause, and if you are concerned that you may be entering premature menopause, consult a health professional for treatment and guidance.

Make an appointment with Tammy Gillett, NP. Learn more about Women’s Services at Ochsner Health.


Tags
Menopause
menopause symptoms
menopause treatments
premature menopause

You may also be interested in:

Womens health myths debunked
Women's Health
August 13, 2021

Women’s Health Myths: 11 Facts to Know

Here are the facts about 11 popular women's health myths.
Stocksy Txp978F116Dr5P000 Large 616543 Scaled
Conditions & Treatment
September 4, 2020

The Hot List: 3 Menopause Symptoms

We all know about hot flashes and mood swings, find out three more obscure menopause symptoms.
178761541 Perimenopause
Conditions & Treatment
December 20, 2021

Are You in Perimenopause?

Having hot flashes, night sweats and other menopausal symptoms but still getting your period? You may be experiencing perimenopause.
By Veronica Gillispie-Bell, MD

email envelop icon Comments about the blog? Send us an email!

Ochsner Health

Schedule An Appointment: 1-866-624-7637

Follow us: Facebook Follow Ochsner Health on TikTok Twitter Follow Ochsner Health on Twitter LinkedIn Visit Ochsner Health's LinkedIn page Instagram Follow Ochsner Health on Instagram YouTube Subscribe to Ochsner Health on YouTube Pinterest Follow Ochsner Health on Pinterest TikTok Follow Ochsner Health on TikTok

Healthy living tips, delivered weekly to your inbox.

Sign Up

Patients & Visitors

  • Billing & Financial Services
  • Insurance Information
  • International Patients
  • Request Medical Records
  • Share Your Story
  • Read Patient Stories

Medical Professionals

  • Transfer a Patient
  • Refer a Patient

Health Resources

  • To Your Health Blog
  • Golden Opportunity
  • Healthy State
  • Ochsner Magazine

Job Seekers

  • Career Paths
  • Benefits
  • Open Positions

Employees

  • Webmail
  • OHSLink
  • Workday

Employers

  • Corporate Wellness
  • Medicare Advantage Plans

Community Outreach

  • Classes & Events
  • Programs
  • Community Health Needs Assessment
  • Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Education

  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Clinical Medical Education
  • Continuing Medical Education
  • Medical Library
  • Publishing Services
  • Medical Illustrations

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Applied Health Services Research
  • Clinical Research & Trials
  • Nursing Research
  • Translational Research

Giving

  • Donate
  • Volunteer

About Ochsner

  • Mission & Vision
  • History
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Annual Report
  • Outcomes & Honors
  • News & Media
  • Alumni
  • Ochsner Health Network
  • Contact Us

Shop

  • O Bar
  • Optical Shop
  • Ochsner Fitness Center
  • Brent House Hotel

© Ochsner Health  | Notice of Privacy Practices | Terms of Use | Vendor Information

Ochsner accepts all major insurances.

Ochsner is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, founded on providing the best patient care, research, and education.

We are one of the country’s largest non-university based academic medical centers.

Ochsner is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Community Needs Health Assessment

EpicMobile Tablet | EpicMobile Phone

newsletter icon

Subscribe to Our Newsletters

newsletter icon

Select the newsletters you'd like to receive.

Please select at least one category to continue.

Curious about our newsletters?

View details for each edition
newsletter icon

Let us know where to send your newsletters.

To Your Health- Food and Fitness:
To Your Health- General:
To Your Health- Men’s Health:
To Your Health- Parenting:
To Your Health- Women’s Health:
To Your Health-Mental Health Monthly":
To Your Health- Skin Deep:

Source:
Source Description:
Marketing Goal:
newsletter icon

You're all set!

We’ll send newsletters full of healthy living tips right to your inbox.

Ochsner Health System
magnifying glass icon
ESC to Close

Begin Typing to Search

Select the drop-down to filter Search by Blog Articles or Sitewide