Menopause can come earlier in some cases. More than one percent of women stop menstruating before the age of forty. It is known as premature menopause, or premature ovarian failure and the reasons are not known yet. In other cases the menopause is brought earlier by infections or tumors that damage the ovaries. Also it is possible for menopause to be triggered prematurely by drugs, surgery that impairs the blood flow to the ovaries, chemotherapy or exposure to radiation.

The most severe symptoms and effects are encountered in the cases when the ovaries are surgically removed, or declared non-functional due to radiation exposure and the menopause is induced. This condition usually appears as a side effect in case of ovarian cancer or other abdominal diseases. Also, there are cases in which the ovaries are removed in order to prevent high risk diseases based on medical records of the patient or genetic legacy. In the past, ovaries were removed during hysterectomy together with the uterus but today they are left in place, if possible .

What causes early menopause

Menopause is in many cases dictated by genetic factors so if your mother had an early or late menopause, you probably will also. Yet, this legacy can be broken if different factors interfere.

* - Smokers experience menopause an average of 1.5 years earlier than non-smokers and the severity of the symptoms may depend on how much or for how long a woman has smoked.

* - Removal of the pituitary gland.

* - Chemotherapy.

* - Radiation therapy or other treatment to the abdomen or pelvis that damages the ovaries.

* - Genetic and auto immune diseases.

* - Oophorectomy, which causes sudden menopause.

* - Women living at high altitudes experience an earlier menopause

* - Vegetarian diet.

Women recognize themselves the signs and symptoms of the menopause in most cases. Sometimes though, a doctor's opinion may come in handy. There are certain cases, when a specialist may recommend a series of investigations like the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estrogen (estradiol) check, who's levels can increase or decrease, and, thyroid-stimulating hormone, which can cause similar symptoms to the menopause.