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Premature Menopause & Fertility

Premature menopause can affect a woman as young as 15. Normal menopause occurs in the early to middle 50s, but premature menopause can occur well before that. While many women think they have until their 50s to carry out their plans for a family, premature menopause occasionally steps in and limits that time. Just as menopause ends a woman's fertile period, premature menopause will do the same.

  1. Why Does Premature Menopause Occur?

    • According to Epigee.org, a women's health website, premature menopause affects about 1 percent of women between the age of 15 and 45 years of age. The most common factor behind premature menopause is premature ovarian failure or POF. This occurs when the ovaries are not functioning as they should, usually the result of an auto-immune disorder or some other disease.

      Genetics may also play a factor in premature menopause. Women are more likely to deal with premature menopause if their mothers or other females in their families have experienced it as well.

      Illnesses like endometriosis, cancer and infection of the uterus or ovaries may also cause premature menopause.

    Early Menopause and Family Planning

    • One of the most devastating issues caused by premature menopause is the fact that it causes infertility. For some time women, were unable to conceive and did not understand why. As medicine has advanced, it was realized that many women in this group have trouble conceiving due to early menopause. Once menopause hits, the reproductive cycle ceases to function in a way that makes the conception of children possible.

    Can Premature Menopause Be Reversed?

    • Any form of menopause premature or otherwise cannot be reversed. This is an unfortunate fact for many women who have their sights still set on little ones, but after menopause occurs conception is impossible. While premature menopause generally cannot be reversed, the type that is caused by premature ovarian failure may be treated with hormone replacement therapy as a means of increasing fertility.

    Conception Options for Premature Ovarian Failure

    • According to AmericanPregnancy.org, fertility treatments and donor eggs may serve as feasible options for women who are looking to be mothers despite early menopause caused by premature ovarian failure. However, the chances of successful conception are slight. "Eight percent of women with POF who have conceived were using hormone-replacement therapy (HRT)," states its article on premature ovarian failure. "Even though there is no absolute treatment, HRT has been one aid in helping women achieve pregnancy."

    Talking to Your Doctor

    • Serious concerns about premature menopause and infertility should be addressed to a medical professional. With the right treatment it may be possible to continue family planning if premature menopause is a concern for you, for now or the future. Certain types of therapy have proven to be effective in allowing women to conceive despite premature ovarian failure, but only your doctor can let you know if such an option is right for you.

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