Early menopause may not be a good sign. But there are several opinions and diagnoses for the same. To know what is menopause, its impact on a female’s health and life, read further.

Changes That Happen During Menopause

Menopause leads to several hormonal changes in the body. There is a lower level of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone available in the system. Also, the same happens to luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The ovarian follicles lose their active function capacity.

The ovarian follicles are responsible for releasing and producing eggs in the ovary. The follicles are structures acting on the ovary wall. They allow fertility to remain healthy in women. Also, they facilitate menstruation. One of the first signs of running into menopause is a lack of period or less frequent menstruation.

Also, the blood flow during a period is longer and heavier. Women usually notice these changes in the late or mid-40s. And by the time they reach 50-52, they stop the menstruation cycle altogether. Some females choose early menopause due to certain health issues.

While in other cases, females may hit menopause early because of surgical removal of pelvic structures or ovaries. Or, it can also result from injury to the ovaries and reproductive parts. Some of the reasons include:

●Pelvic radiation

●Surgical removal of ovaries or bilateral oophorectomy

●Damage or injury to pelvis and ovaries

●A shutdown of ovary function through surgery or hormone therapy

●Ovarian ablation in women with tumors from an estrogen-receptor-positive condition

Menopause and Its Symptoms

Symptoms of menopause are not the same for every woman. Some do not encounter any major changes or discomfort. For others, the symptoms are either mild to moderate or even severe. The signs are more serious when menopause happens over a short period or abruptly.

In some cases, a female may reach early menopause because of ovary health, lifestyle choices such as a lot of smoking, hysterectomy, cancer, and others. In this stage, you may encounter a lighter or heavier period than usual. Also, menstruation may occur rarely or less frequently than before.

For many, there are vasomotor symptoms such as flushing, hot flashes, or night sweats. Other common signs are weight gain, lack of sleep, anxiety, vaginal dryness, memory issues, difficulty with focus, dry mouth/eyes/skin, increased urination, lower sex drive, headaches, less full breasts, etc.

Others may also encounter racing heart, tender or sore breasts, urinary tract infections, stiff or painful joints, hair loss or thinning, reduced bone mass, increase in hair growth on face/chest/neck/back, etc.

Menopause – Abortion and Birth Control

If you get pregnant in your late 40’s or 50’s, then it is risky to carry out the pregnancy. However, get a medical professional to evaluate your health. If the doctor signals that you can carry the pregnancy till full term, then it is upon you what to do next. If you want to keep the pregnancy, you need to monitor your health regularly at this age.

If you want to eliminate the pregnancy, then you can choose an abortion. You can either opt for a medical abortion or surgical abortion. In the former, you need to take two types of medicines – Mifepristone and Misoprostol. You can get these both in a pack – MTP Kit.

You can buy MTP Kit online or purchase it from a pharmacy on prescription. If you are sexually active and do not want to conceive, you can always use birth control. At a later age, you may rather depend on non-hormonal contraception than hormonal birth control methods.

Diagnosis of Menopause

A blood test approved by the FDA is available to detect if a female has entered menopause. It can also identify if the person is close to hitting this phase. It primarily looks for perimenopause symptoms and their impact on health. For instance, the risk of osteoporosis, heart diseases, vaginal changes, fracture, cognitive changes, etc increases in early menopause.

The same goes for mood changes and lack of libido. Certain blood tests also measure the hormone levels in the blood. The test is to check FSH (estradiol). The level of FSH if 30 mIU/mL or higher signifies menopause. It may be accompanied by a lack of periods for a year.

It is important to note that estrogen and FSH levels may go through ups and downs daily in perimenopause. So, the doctor can keep a check on your experiences in this stage to understand when you may reach menopause. Another type of test is a urine test or saliva test. But the results may not be reliable in these examinations.

Some other blood tests can also help determine menopause. These are blood lipid profile, kidney and liver function test, thyroid function test, test to check the level of progesterone, testosterone, estradiol, prolactin, and hCG (chorionic gonadotropin).

Final Thoughts

Menopause is nothing to be scared of. This happens to every woman who menstruates. However, how soon one reaches this stage is something to think about. If the reproductive cycle ends or is delayed than expected, then it can indicate a health issue. So, always consult a health professional in case of an erratic menstruation schedule.