How Do You Cope With Premature Menopause?
Premature menopause, also called premature ovarian failure (POF), is generally defined as ovarian failure in a woman less than 40 years old. It occurs in about 1% of the population. Why it happens is poorly understood. Join an online premature menopause support group. Go to a major search engine like Google or Yahoo and type in “premature menopause” and “support.” Chat with other young women who are experiencing an early onset menopause. Talk openly and intimately with your significant other. It’s not unusual to question your desirability, since a woman’s sexuality is tied so closely to her ability to bear children. Consider hormone replacement therapy. Doctors generally urge POF patients to use HRT because they’ll have so many postmenopausal years ahead of them. Lifelong use of HRT is appropriate. Seek counseling through university hospital menopause clinics or a mental health professional. POF patients often suffer negative emotions, especially if they had hoped to have children and
