The Research The study, which was conducted in the United States and published in July 2016, shows that women who start their period after the age of 12, go through menopause after the age of 50, and have more than 40 reproductive years, may have an increased chance of living past the age of 90.
Women who have early menopause have a shorter overall life expectancy and are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) earlier in life compared with women who have menopause at a typical or later age, according to a study published in Menopause.
“That doesn't sound like much but it adds up over a woman's lifespan.” Take, for example, a woman who enters early menopause at age 42. Eight years later, he said, her body would be a full year older biologically than another 50-year-old woman who entered menopause naturally at age 50.
Going through the menopause early can be difficult and upsetting. Permanent early menopause will affect your ability to have children naturally. You may still be able to have children by using IVF and donated eggs from another woman, or using your own eggs if you had some stored.
But some women with early or premature menopause may also have: Higher risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease and osteoporosis, since women will live longer without the health benefits of higher estrogen levels. Talk to your doctor or nurse about steps to lower your risk for these health problems.
While overall later menopause is probably healthier, it is associated with an elevated risk of developing breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers. The average age for menopause is 51, and the women in this study were close to that number, with an average age at menopause of 50.5.
Having an early or premature menopause can increase the risk of osteoporosis (weak bones) and cardiovascular (heart) disease. It is believed that HRT can reduce these risks, as well as controlling menopausal symptoms.
Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States. Menopause is a natural biological process. But the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, and emotional symptoms of menopause may disrupt your sleep, lower your energy or affect emotional health.
Premature or early menopause is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes including cognitive impairment, dementia, parkinsonism, glaucoma, CHD, osteoporosis, mood disorders, sexual dysfunction, and increased overall mortality.
Most causes of early menopause are beyond your control. Smoking cigarettes is the only lifestyle factor that may cause early menopause. You can reduce your risk of menopause by quitting smoking. The other causes of menopause like health conditions, surgeries or treatment for cancer are unpreventable in most cases.
How does menopause affect a woman's cancer risk? Menopause does not cause cancer. But your risk of developing cancer increases as you age. So women going through menopause have a greater chance of developing cancer because they're older.
If it happens between ages 40-45, it's known as early menopause. Fewer than 10% of women experience premature or early menopause.
Premature menopause and early menopause, whether spontaneous or induced, are associated with long-term health risks which may include premature death, cardiovascular disease, neurologic disease, osteoporosis, psychosexual dysfunction, and mood disorders.
“Experiencing menopause at 40 to 45 years of age is called early menopause, and that occurs in about 5 to 7 percent of the population, so it's safe to say that at least 7 percent of women are going to go through menopause early or prematurely,” says Faubion. Menopause at age 46 or older is considered normal, she says.
“Women who experience premature menopause, meaning before age 40, or early menopause, between the ages of 40 and 45, are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, overall mortality, neurological and psychological disease and osteoporosis,” she says.
This transition can be more difficult for some than menopause due to dramatic fluctuations in reproductive hormone levels. During perimenopause, these hormones are sometimes underproduced and sometimes overproduced. In menopause, reproductive hormones are at constantly low levels.
A woman's genetics play a large role in determining the age of menopause, and that role is non-negotiable. But lifestyle factors, such as diet, socioeconomic status, education, and exercise choices can also influence the timing of the onset of menopause.
There can be several causes of postmenopausal bleeding. The most common causes are: inflammation and thinning of the vaginal lining (atrophic vaginitis) or womb lining (endometrial atrophy) – caused by lower oestrogen levels. cervical or womb polyps – growths that are usually non-cancerous.
One common vitamin deficiency you might experience as you reach menopause is vitamin D deficiency. This is a serious issue because low vitamin D levels can seriously endanger your overall health and quality of life.
The researchers conducted an observational study in around 14,000 women and found that a high intake of healthy foods such as oily fish, and legumes like peas, green beans can help in delaying the onset of menopause.