Study Reveals Nearly 1 in 3 Women with Premature Menopause Faces Depression

A new study published in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society, reveals that psychosocial factors such as lack of emotional support, grief over infertility, and severity of menopause symptoms are key drivers of depression in women diagnosed with premature menopause rather than hormone levels or therapy alone.

Premature menopause, also known as premature or primary ovarian insufficiency, occurs when ovarian function stops before the age of 40. Women with primary ovarian insufficiency often face not only estrogen deficiency and its related symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness but also the unexpected loss of fertility, which can deeply affect mental health.

To better understand why some women are more severely affected than others, researchers conducted a large study involving nearly 350 women diagnosed with primary ovarian insufficiency. They examined a range of factors, including age at diagnosis, severity of symptoms, fertility-related grief, hormone therapy use, emotional support systems, and genetic causes.

The study found that 29.9% of participants experienced depressive symptoms. Women who were younger at the time of their primary ovarian insufficiency diagnosis, reported severe menopausal symptoms, and lacked emotional support were more likely to suffer from depression. Fertility-related grief also emerged as a significant contributor. Interestingly, hormone therapy estrogen with or without progestogen did not significantly reduce the risk of depression. A genetic cause of primary ovarian insufficiency, however, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Additionally, hot flashes and night sweats were not individually linked to mood disturbances.