Early menopause can occur naturally or as a result of other conditions or their treatment.

“The cause of early menopause is often unknown but can be caused by a number of things such as autoimmune disease, certain infections and chromosome abnormalities,” says Dr Lakhani. “Experiencing an early menopause can be extremely distressing and, if permanent, can affect your ability to have children naturally.”

If early menopause starts naturally, it means that your ovaries have stopped producing enough oestrogen to trigger ovulation. This is known as primary ovarian failure or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). The causes of this can be genetic or due to an auto-immune condition or other infection.

“Genetics plays a significant role in determining the age at which a woman may enter menopause,” explains Dr Babak Ashrafi, women’s health specialist at Superdrug Online Doctor. “If your mother or sisters experienced early or late menopause, you are likely to experience a similar pattern. However, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to your physical health so this should not be a precedent to live by.”

Early menopause can also be surgically induced, if the ovaries are removed as part of treatment for another condition such as cancer.

‘There are many factors which can affect the age when menopause starts,” explains Dr Lakhani, “such as the age of the first menstrual period, the use of oral contraceptives, the number of pregnancies, BMI, smoking, drinking alcohol, exercise.

“High levels of stress can cause women to experience symptoms similar to the menopause. Although there are anecdotal reports of women experiencing menopause following a traumatic event, there is no clear medical evidence that it actually induces the menopause.’

Worried about early menopause? Here’s what can cause it, from genetic factors to health conditions