Early or premature menopause.

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• Some women (around 1 in 100) may experience the menopause earlier in their 30s or early 40s.

• This is known as early menopause if you are under 45, or premature menopause if you are younger than 40.

• Early or premature menopause happens when your body stops producing hormones a while before it is meant to.

• It is not always possible to understand why premature menopause happens but it can be caused by enzyme deficiencies or autoimmune diseases that affect hormone production in your body. It can also be caused by some cancer treatments including radiotherapy and chemotherapy and surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy.

• If you’re worried you might have early or premature menopause, your doctor can take a blood test to measure your estrogen levels.

• More specifically, blood tests can determine the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in your body, a hormone that stimulates the ovaries to produces estrogen.

• A high level of FSH suggests low levels of estrogen, which can indicate a woman may have early or premature menopause.