By Dr. Victoria Verdú (Licensed Gynaecologist No. 282847366).
Early menopause is considered to occur when menstruation disappears and, therefore, a woman's reproductive activity ceases before the age of 40. It is not common, but according to data from the Sociedad Española de Fertilidad (SEF), in Spain around 1% of women experience premature menopause.
In addition to genetic factors (especially if there is a family history), there are some factors that influence a woman's loss of menstruation before the age of 40. Causes of premature menopause include:
The most obvious symptoms are the loss of menstruation (amenorrhoea) or significant changes in the menstrual cycle, but there are other symptoms that can warn us that we have this pathology. Symptoms of early menopause include mood swings, decreased sex drive, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, and urinary problems such as incontinence and bladder irritability.

Generally, early menopause cannot be reversed because it involves the loss of ovarian function. However, there are several treatments that can help reduce symptoms and thus improve women's quality of life. Hormone therapy can alleviate some symptoms such as hot flushes or vaginal dryness.
On the other hand, treatment can be complemented with calcium and vitamin D supplements to prevent osteoporosis, a disease that is very common in women with early menopause.
Prevention is complicated because the causes are often genetic or beyond the control of the person who suffers it. However, there are some measures that can help reduce the risk:

Women who have been diagnosed with early menopause can achieve pregnancy, although methods may vary from case to case. In 5-10% of cases, the ovaries may continue to work intermittently, which could result in a spontaneous pregnancy.
In the remaining cases, assisted reproduction techniques such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) may be the solution, since, even if the ovaries do not produce eggs, the uterus can host a pregnancy that would be achieved either with the woman’s vitrified eggs, with donor oocytes or by adopting embryos. Fertility specialists will have to study each case individually to decide on the most suitable process.