what causes premature menopause
Most women begin menopause between the ages of 40 and 58. Early menopause usually refers to onset before age 40. Menopause occurs when your ovaries stop producing estrogen, the hormone that controls the reproductive cycle. Anything that damages your ovaries or stops estrogen production can cause early menopause. This includes chemotherapy for cancer or an oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries). In these cases, your doctor will help prepare you for early menopause. But you can go into menopause early even if your ovaries are still intact.
When menopause happens before age 40, it is considered early. Early menopause can be caused by certain medical treatments, or it can just happen on its own. Medical treatments that may cause early menopause include: Chemotherapy or pelvic radiation treatments for cancer.