Women who go through early menopause are more likely to experience premature death, revealed a new study.
Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of women's menstrual cycle and reproductive years, Newsweek reported.
Researchers from the University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital found that people with spontaneously developed POI were twice as likely to die young and four times more likely to die young of cancer.
Premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) happens when a woman hits menopause before the age of 40. Except for one per cent, women who experience menstruation undergo menopause at the age of between 45 to 55 years.
According to a study, people with POI have a four times higher risk of dying from cancer.
The co-author of the study, Hilla Haapakoski, noted, “To our knowledge, this is the largest study performed on the linkage between premature ovarian insufficiency and mortality risk.”
She explained, “Our study is one of the first to explore both surgical and spontaneous premature ovarian insufficiency in women's all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer-related mortality and examine whether hormone replacement therapy for over six months may reduce mortality risk.”
Haapakoski further added, “Our findings suggest specific attention should be paid to the health of women with spontaneous premature ovarian insufficiency to decrease excess mortality."
Haapakoski concluded, “Various health risks of women with premature ovarian insufficiency have not been well recognised, and the use of HRT is often neglected. We hope to improve the health of these women by increasing awareness of the risks among health care professionals and the women themselves."
