New research has found that people who stop menstruating earlier in life, known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), may have a higher risk of dying young. Specifically, those who experience menopause before the age of 40 are twice as likely to die of any cause and more than four times more likely to die from cancer. Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles and reproductive years, triggered by the reduction in hormone production by the ovaries. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, sleep problems, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido.
Researchers from the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital analyzed data from nearly 6,000 Finnish women with POI and more than 22,000 women without the condition between 1988 and 2017. They found that people with spontaneously developed POI were twice as likely to die young from heart disease and any other reason. They were also four times more likely to die young of cancer, whereas these effects were not seen in women who had surgically triggered POI. The study is the largest performed on the linkage between premature ovarian insufficiency and mortality risk and was the first to explore the trend on such a large scale and over such a long period of time.
If women with POI use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for more than six months, the mortality risks decreased by half. Past research has found similar patterns of increased mortality risk in women with POI, but this study sheds light on the effects of HRT on mortality risk. The researchers hope to further investigate whether women with POI are more likely to develop heart disease or cancer compared to women who don’t have POI. They also aim to raise awareness of the risks among health care professionals and the women themselves to improve the health of those with POI.
Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 to 55 for most women, with very few experiencing menopause before age 40. Surgery to remove the ovaries or certain chemotherapies can trigger POI, although the exact cause of spontaneously occurring POI is not entirely clear. Hormone replacement therapy can help alleviate POI or delay its onset, but many people with the condition do not take HRT as they should. The study underscores the importance of paying specific attention to the health of women with spontaneous premature ovarian insufficiency to decrease excess mortality, highlighting the need for increased awareness among healthcare professionals and those affected by the condition to improve health outcomes.
