A recent study from Finland presented at the 26th European Congress of Endocrinology revealed that women who experience menopause before the age of 40 are at higher risk of premature death. The study compared the health records of 5,800 women who entered menopause before age 40 to 23,000 women who didn’t experience early menopause. The findings indicated that women with premature menopause were twice as likely to die from heart disease and four times as likely to die from cancer. Hormone replacement therapy is recommended among treatments for early and surgically induced menopause.
The increased mortality risk linked to premature menopause extends beyond women who experience early menopause. Women who have had their ovaries removed at a young age due to various reasons such as endometriosis, cysts, or preventive surgery for breast or ovarian cancer are also at higher risk of premature death. The study by researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland examined thousands of women diagnosed with spontaneous or surgically-induced primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) between 1988 and 2017. The research found that women with POI had a significantly higher risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, and any cause compared to those without POI.
The study conducted in Finland is the largest to date that has investigated the association between premature ovarian insufficiency and mortality risk. While previous research has highlighted the impact of premature menopause on a woman’s risk of death, this study is the first to consider surgically induced menopause. Women who go through menopause before the age of 40 face higher risks compared to those who experience menopause at a later age. Hormone replacement therapy is recommended to reduce the risk of death associated with premature menopause, even before entering menopause if symptoms of perimenopause are present.
Dr. Vanessa Soviero, an OB/GYN from the Katz Institute of Women’s Health at Northwell Health, emphasizes the importance of deeper research on women’s health, which has been historically underserved. She notes that while only 1% of women experience premature menopause, the findings of this research are relevant to a wider population of women who may have undergone early menopause due to ovarian removal. Hormone replacement therapy can reduce the risk of premature death in women with primary ovarian insufficiency, as indicated by the study that showed a 50% reduction in cancer or other cause-related deaths in women who used HRT for at least six months.
Despite some risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, the benefits of HRT are believed to outweigh the risks, according to Dr. Soviero. She educates her patients on the benefits of estrogen and progesterone, which play vital roles in protecting heart, brain, and bone health post-menopause. However, women with a history of breast cancer, uterine cancer, or blood clotting disorders should avoid hormone therapy. The researchers stress the importance of increasing awareness of the risks of premature ovarian insufficiency among healthcare professionals and women themselves to improve the health outcomes of those affected. Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of hormonal therapy on women with POI.
