In some cases, the causes of early menopause are clear, but there are situations where you keep asking why it happened and have no idea what the cause might be. When this happens, the body senses that parts of itself are intruders, so the antibodies will attack those parts. The antibodies can attack your own ovarian tissue, your endometrium, or one or more hormones that regulate ovulation. This can occur in the case of premature menopause, and if you have a family history of autoimmune disorders, this is most likely the cause of your early menopause.
It was found that defects in an X chromosome can cause some cases of hereditary premature menopause. This defect in one X chromosome, also called “fragile X syndrome,” appears to interfere with egg production. So women who have this syndrome will have fewer eggs in their ovaries, and this will lead to earlier menopause. “Turner syndrome” occurs when you are born without a second X chromosome, or without part of the chromosome. As a result, the ovaries will not develop properly and some of these women will never get their period. There are situations in which premature menopause appears because some women have three X chromosomes, and this also affects ovarian development.
Oophorectomy and total hysterectomy are causes of early menopause by surgery. The patient experiences a premature menopause after the removal of both ovaries, -and this is called bilateral ovariectomy- or the removal of the uterus, both fallopian tubes and both ovaries, an operation called total hysterectomy. As a result of these operations, progesterone levels plummet and menopause occurs immediately. Sometimes, as a result of a hysterectomy in which one or both ovaries are left intact, it happens that immediately after surgery or up to a few years later, one or both ovaries will fail. This can happen because during a procedure such as the removal of a cyst, the ovary or ovaries are damaged. Tubal ligation can also be a cause leading to premature menopause in some women.
It has been found that the doses of radiation or chemotherapy used to kill cancer can also damage the ovaries and lead to premature menopause. In some cases, temporary menopause appears, but even when the ovaries return to function normally, infertility can occur. Recently, doctors have started prescribing the drug called Tamoxifen as a preventative measure for women at high risk of breast cancer. Everyone focused on the positive aspects of this drug, but it is important to know that it has the potential side effect of premature menopause.
If there is a family history of premature menopause, it is important to know that there is a high probability that daughters going through menopause at about the same age as their mothers will affect the ovarian development of the baby and, when born, have fewer eggs, which will result in premature menopause.
It is known that there are some diseases that can cause symptoms that overlap with those of menopause. Hyperthyroidism can cause rapid heartbeat and sweating, and hypothyroidism can cause hair loss, weight gain, mood swings, and amenorrhea. Reversal of symptoms can be obtained with proper diagnosis and treatment. A disease characterized by the overproduction of prolactin, hyperprolactinemia can lead to amenorrhea, and one of the typical signs of this disease is known to be galactorrhea. This disease is usually treated with drugs such as Parlodel. Women with pituitary disorders often experience amenorrhea and find that their periods have stopped. A scan may be needed to determine if they have a tumor or lesion, which can be treated with surgery or medication. Polycystic ovarian disease can cause menstrual skipping and a host of other symptoms, including excessive hair growth. We can mention some other causes of amenorrhea such as excessive weight gain or loss, excessive exercise, use of certain medications, recent use of birth control pills. Through blood tests or a “progesterone” test, the doctor will be able to determine the cause of the amenorrhea. symptoms.
