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New Delhi . Menopause has long been considered a normal biological process occurring only after the age of 45 to 50 years, but now a new and worrying picture is emerging in front of medical experts. Recent studies have indicated that cases of premature menopause i.e. premature ovarian failure are now being reported among adolescent girls as well. In some cases, premature ovarian failure has been reported in girls as young as 13 years of age. Experts consider it rare but warn that if it is not identified and treated in time, it can have a serious impact on bone and heart health along with future fertility.

According to experts, if a girl’s periods are continuously irregular or menstruation stops for four months or more, then it should not be ignored considering it to be just a hormonal change or a normal part of growing age. In such cases, it is important to immediately consult a gynecologist. If necessary, genetic autoimmune and other medical tests along with hormone testing can also be done so that the disease can be detected in time.

A review study conducted by experts from Greece’s National and Kapodistrian University of Athens states that if the ovaries stop working prematurely, a woman’s fertility can be affected. Apart from this, due to deficiency of estrogen hormone, bones become weak and the risk of osteoporosis increases in future. Also, the risk of heart diseases may also be higher than that of normal women.

Research conducted at several leading medical institutions in America analyzed such cases in girls aged 13 to 21 years. Researchers found that in many patients the disease was diagnosed late because the initial symptoms were mistaken for normal hormonal imbalance. This is why experts are now advising both parents and teenage girls to be alert about unusual changes in menstruation.

Studies have also revealed that women who undergo menopause before the age of 40 have a significantly increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other heart diseases in the future. According to research, if menopause occurs before the age of 40, the risk of developing heart disease for the first time was found to be about 55 percent higher than that of normal women. At the same time, this risk was recorded to be 30 percent higher if menopause occurred between 40 to 44 years of age and 12 percent more if it occurred between 45 to 49 years of age.

Experts also say that the mental and physical health of women is also closely to menopause. Violence, mental stress and long-term emotional distress can also increase the risk of premature menopause. Therefore, balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, stress control and timely medical checkup are very important for the overall health of women. If periods stop for a long time or are continuously irregular, then consulting a specialist doctor without any delay is considered to be the safest and most effective step.