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Understanding the impact of premature menopause, its causes, symptoms, and the role of smoking in accelerating the condition.
Menopause is a condition experienced by women from the age 40 to 55 where their menstrual cycles stop for at least 12 months. In certain cases, if a menstrual cycle stops before the age of 45 then it can be classified as premature menopause.
Almost 5 to 10 per cent of women in the world are prone to experience premature menopause. This can be caused due to various reasons such as genetics, certain lifestyle factors, and especially due to the correlation between cigarette smoking.
According to the studies, women who smoke cigarettes are at higher risk of developing premature menopause than others and the lifespan of these women decreases over time with premature menopause.
Dr Kiran Coelho, head of the obstetric and gynaecologist department, Lilavati Hospital shares key insights.
Besides estrogen deficiency can cause long-term effects such as osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), chances of developing cardiovascular diseases like stroke and heart attack, experiencing stubborn joint pain, and risk of getting affected with cognitive disorders like dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease increases with premature menopause.
The fertility rate decreases tremendously in women with premature menopause making it essential to plan pregnancy to avoid any further complications. In case of low fertility, it gets difficult to conceive. Which leaves no option other than choosing assisted reproductive technology like IVF and IUI.
It is crucial to understand that the toxins released during smoking are toxic and can be adversely harmful to the ovaries. These toxins eventually decrease the number of eggs available and interfere with the hormones that help regulate the reproductive system. As a result, women who smoke often experience menopause earlier than those who do not.
The risk of developing premature menopause increases depending on certain factors such as:
However, the good news is that if a woman quits smoking early, she can reduce and even reverse the harmful effects on her ovaries, which results in experiencing menopause at a typical age, like 45, rather than prematurely.
Dr. Kiran Coelho, Gynecologist at Lilavati Hospital
