In women who experience a spontaneous early menopause, this is termed premature ovarian failure (POF). In POF, the ovaries stop functioning and stop producing hormones before the expected age and so the periods stop.
It occurs in about one per cent of women (one in 100) before the age of 40 years. Women with POF may present to their doctor with:
- Irregular periods including having gaps of some months between them
- Menopausal-like symptoms (see
Early Menopause and Premature Fact Sheet (103.15 KB)) - Inability in getting pregnant
- Periods not returning after going off the pill
Very often the diagnosis takes some time to make, because early menopause may not be considered as a diagnosis, particularly if you are still having periods.
Content Updated March 18, 2010