Millions of Women Are Going Through Early Menopause Each Year. Here’s What You Need to Know.
1 in 8 women were losing ovarian function before age 45
We talk a lot about menopause happening “someday”.
When we’re older, done having kids, at a so-called natural stage of life.
But what if it hits in your 30s? Or even earlier?
It’s happening more than we realize.
Each year, up to 1.5 million women in the U.S. go through premature menopause, meaning menopause before age 40.
Another 7 million go through early menopause, between ages 40 and 45.
That’s not rare, that’s a medical crisis.
On a recent episode of The Tamsen Show, I sat down with Dr. Corinne Menn, a leading OB-GYN and breast cancer survivor who has been through menopause three times: chemically, medically, and surgically.
Her personal story is as powerful as her expertise, and she’s raising the alarm on what too many doctors are still missing.
If you’re in your 30s or 40s and feeling off, here are three critical truths Dr. Menn wants you to know:
1. Early menopause is more common (and more dangerous) than people think.
We hear the word “early” and think it means “slightly ahead of schedule.” But early menopause carries very real, long-term health risks.
Women who go through menopause before age 45 have a significantly higher risk of:
Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Cognitive decline
Anxiety and depression
Sexual dysfunction
Earlier mortality
And yet many women aren’t being told what’s happening to their bodies or that anything can be done about it.
2. If you’re under 40 and something feels off, don’t let anyone dismiss you.
Losing your period, brain fog, hot flashes, sleep issues, mood swings, vaginal dryness. All of these can be symptoms of early estrogen loss. But too often, women under 40 are told they’re too young, too stressed, or too dramatic.
Here’s what Dr. Menn wants you to hear loud and clear:
“If a woman is under 40 and having symptoms, she needs bloodwork. Period.”
That’s different from women in their late 40s or 50s, where hormone levels naturally fluctuate. For women under 40, early diagnosis is critical, not just to name what’s going on, but to protect your future health.
3. Hormone therapy isn’t your only option, but it should be on the table.
If it’s safe for you, replacing estrogen before the natural age of menopause (around 51) is the standard of care. And yet, many women (especially cancer survivors, BRCA carriers, or those with complex health conditions) are never even given the option.
Dr. Menn says that even if you can’t take systemic hormone therapy, you are not out of luck.
There are vaginal estrogens. Non-hormonal medications. Nutrition and strength-based protocols to protect your bones and heart. Brain health strategies. Sexual health tools.
You just need someone who’s willing to look at your whole body, and your future, and make a plan with you.
Dr. Menn calls early menopause the “pink elephant in the room,” the thing no one wants to talk about, especially when it’s wrapped up in breast cancer, fertility loss, or trauma.
But we need to talk about it.
Because if 1 in 8 women were losing ovarian function before age 45, and we were actually paying attention, the standard of care would look a lot different than it does right now.
Let’s stop pretending early menopause is rare. It’s real, it’s serious and it’s time to start treating it that way.
xo
Tamsen