Embarrassing Illnesses

The menopause involves the end of egg production (ovulation), which occurs as a result of falling levels of the female sex hormone oestrogen, which regulates menstruation.

Causes of premature menopause

In rare cases, a woman may begin to approach menopause before the age of 45 due to her ovaries failing earlier than they are supposed to. This is known as premature ovarian failure. Although it is rare, it is possible for premature ovarian failure to occur at any age, and in many cases no cause will be found.

However, not all women who go through premature ovarian failure find that their periods stop. Approximately 5-15% of these women still have intermittent ovarian function, which means that their ovaries still release eggs once in a while, and they may still be able to conceive.

The possible causes of premature ovarian failure are outlined below.

• Medical conditions: enzyme deficiencies, Down's syndrome, Turner's syndrome, Addison's disease and hypothyroidism can all make premature ovarian failure more likely.
• Medical treatments and procedures: bilateral oophorectomy surgery (removal of the ovaries), radiotherapy to your pelvic area, chemotherapy and hysterectomy surgery (removal of the womb) can all cause premature ovarian failure, although these cases are rare.
• Infections: very rarely, certain infections such as tuberculosis or mumps may bring about premature ovarian failure. However, in the case of mumps, the damage to your ovaries is usually only temporary and normal function tends to return. Malaria, varicella (the infection that causes chickenpox and shingles) and shigella can also cause premature ovarian failure, although this is very rare.