If you're in your late 30s, the last thing you expect to experience is menopause-like symptoms. Although menopause generally happens to women 40 years of age and up, women 30 years old and under may also experience a change of life. This is called early or premature menopause. Because premature or early menopause can affect your ability to have children, it's important to learn as much about your symptoms as possible. Here are more facts about premature or early menopause.
What's Early Menopause?
Menopause is a natural process women experience when their ovaries no longer produce enough hormones to sustain their reproductive functions, including menstrual periods and fertility. In addition, menopause can create many problems for women, including hot flashes, irregular periods, and tender breasts. When a change of life occurs early, it can trigger a chain reaction of uncertainty, anxiety, and anger.
Menopause can occur early for many reasons, including heredity. For example, if your mother experienced early menopause, you may experience it as well. Smoking, illness, and poor nutrition may also trigger early menopause in some women. Menopause can also affect you if your ovaries prematurely fail or stop functioning because of cancer, medications, or injuries.
Your ovaries make the eggs you need throughout your reproductive years. However, the ovaries may no longer produce viable or healthy eggs if they can't make the right amount of hormones. These issues can make you infertile.
Although you can't stop early menopause from occurring, you can take steps to improve your life.
How Can You Manage Your Early Menopausal Symptoms?
It's important to keep calm during your early change of life. Stress can make some of your symptoms worse, including your inability to sleep. You can keep calm by listening to music, taking a walk, or playing with your pets.
Also, speak to a OB/GYN about your symptoms. A doctor can examine you to see if you're in early menopause or if you're experiencing some other condition, such as ovarian failure. Sometimes, ovaries fail when there's something wrong with the tissues that make and sustain eggs. Although ovarian failure can create menopause-like symptoms, you may be still able to produce eggs or get pregnant by artificial or natural means.
After the exam, a woman's doctor can discuss your treatment options and what you might expect from them. If you feel uncertain about your options, discuss them with your doctor immediately.
You can get more facts about early menopause by contacting an OB/GYN clinic, such as Women's Care Inc, today.