Menopause (when menstrual periods permanently stop) is called ‘early’ if it occurs before the age of 45 years and ‘premature’ if it occurs before the age of 40 years. 

Early or premature menopause can occur for a variety of reasons, e.g. following the removal of ovaries, following chemotherapy, as a result of autoimmune failure of the ovaries, due to hereditary causes (factors that run in families), etc.

Women who undergo early or premature menopause lose bone density at a significantly earlier age than women who undergo menopause in their 50s. This puts them at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis at an earlier age than women who undergo menopause at midlife.⁸⁹

Hormone Replacement Therapy

In this setting, it is often advisable to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT, also known as just Hormone Therapy). There generally does not appear to be adverse consequences of HRT in this young age group. It is acknowledged that women have a normal lifetime exposure to oestrogen, which begins in the early teenage years and ends in the early 50s. Adverse consequences of HRT seem to be related to exposure to oestrogen beyond the midlife years (after 50 years of age).

Hence replacing oestrogen in young women with premature menopause helps to conserve the integrity of the skeleton.^90,91

Diet and Lifestyle

In addition to hormone therapy, it is recommended that women partake in regular exercise, have adequate dietary calcium intake and optimise their vitamin D levels in order to prevent the development of osteoporosis.

Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about early or premature menopause.

Further resources

The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health Early Menopause website
(covers both 'early menopause', which starts before the age of 45, and 'premature menopause' before age 40).

Content updated 28 July, 2011