Early Menopause
By causing an end to ovulating before 40 years, early menopause, or premature ovarian failure (Oip), can harm female fertility.
The term menopause describes the stop of the ovarian function. If it happens on average at 51 years, menopause is said to be early if it appears before 45 years. In some women (1,9 %), the stop of ovulating can happen before 40 years, sometimes much earlier.
We talk about premature ovarian failure (Iop).
Vasomotor disorders, (Hot Puffs, diaphoresis, palpitations…)
Insomnia,
Mood disorders, (Irritability,…)
A vaginal dryness,
Urinary Disorders: Mictionnelles Burns, urge (urgent desire for which we can’t hold back),
A decrease in desire and disorders of sexuality,
A weight variation,
More rarely, depression, even disorders of attention and memory.
How to explain an early menopause?
In the vast majority of cases, the origins of premature ovarian failure are not found. However, some family history, pathologies and causes (related to medical treatment) are always sought by the practitioners:
An immune disease (Hypothyroidism, hypothyroidism, celiac disease, type 1 Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, of or Addison disease),
A history of chemotherapy, radiation therapy or ovarian surgery,
A family history of iop,
Family history suggests of of the Endo Gene (x-Homoeologous region associated with fragile x syndrome in particular.
What are the consequences of a iop?
The effect of the most significant early menopause in women of the age of having a parental project is usually infertility. However, in the longer term, it has other health impacts. Thus, it can promote bone fragilities and fracture due to osteoporosis, as well as cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, about 3 % of women with iop are likely to develop immune gland failure, which, if not detected, can be serious.
How is the diagnosis of early menopause?
In the face of a suspect of iop, several exams are carried out first intention:
A pregnancy test,
Serologies to evaluate the levels of prolactin, fsh and estradiol.
Once premature ovarian failure is confirmed, the practitioners can recommend the realization:
A karyotype to identify possible anomalies in number or structure of the x-Homoeologous (Turner Syndrome, triple x, x delete, ring x, ring x…),
A search for the prémutations of the endo gene to detect ovarian failure related to a premutation in the fraxa region.
What are the treatments of primary ovarian failure?
In Case of early menopause, several treatments can be considered, especially in case of a child’s desire.
The Treatment of infertility
Even if spontaneous pregnancy remains possible, they are very rare as the ability of women with oip is reduced. By the way, this is the main problem facing infertility specialists: there is no treatment whose effectiveness is proven to restore ovulating in the event of early menopause. However, two ways of therapies can be driven according to patient profile:
A Protocol-based protocol combined with an estrogen, which would appear to significantly improve the rate of ovulating.
IVF with egg donation.
The Treatment of hormonal lack
In addition to infertility, it is essential, in the face of early menopause, to prevent the effects of estrogen. A hormonal treatment imitating ovulating (by oral or skin) and the progesterone is recommended for the first 12 days of the month.