Early Menopause and POI Resources

What is POI?

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is loss of normal ovarian function or menopause before age 40 years.

What is Early Menopause?

Early Menopause (EM) happens about 6 to 10 years earlier than usual menopause (between ages 40-45 years).

Ask Early Menopause App

Every woman is different! AskEarlyMenopause will answer your questions about Early Menopause/ POI and help you manage symptoms and your lifestyle.

AskEarlyMenopause is dedicated to helping women during Early Menopause/ POI and is based on the best available evidence.

AskEarlyMenopause is a trustworthy and comprehensive Early Menopause App and was developed by the leading women’s health experts from around the world and co-designed with women with Early Menopause/ POI.

New resources for women from the 2024 POI Guideline

Click on the images and icons to open a series of new resources which we hope will help you better understand POI and Early Menopause.

These resources are co-designed by women with POI and support the recommendations in the 2024 Guideline on premature ovarian insufficiency.

The consumer booklet summarises all POI factsheets.

What is POI?

Do I have POI?

I have been diagnosed, what now?

Emotional Wellbeing

POI and fertility

Treatment

Lifestyle

Sexual Wellbeing

What's new - 10 new things about POI

  • POI is more common than we thought. It affects about 4 out of every 100 women.
  • Scientists have found over 100 genes linked to POI. 
  • Only one blood test showing a high follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level is needed to diagnose POI.
  • There are some risk factors for POI, like a family history of POI or if you have a known genetic cause of POI.
  • Although POI impacts egg production and fertility, women at risk of POI can save their eggs for the future using egg freezing.
  • POI can affect muscle, bone, brain and heart health.
  • A healthy lifestyle is important for managing POI.
  • Personalised hormone therapy specific to each person’s needs, is important to manage symptoms and prevent long-term health problems.
  • POI can affect sexual health. A holistic ‘biopsychosocial’ approach is needed.
  • There isn’t much research on complementary therapies like dietary supplements and herbal medicines.
  • We have summarised some information for relatives if a family member has POI here

More resources for on Early Menopause/POI

EM/POI and Osteoporosis

Early Menopause: Women’s Experiences digital resource

Read, watch and listen to stories of 30 women aged between 28 and 51 years, from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds living in Victoria, Australia, who have shared what it is like to experience early menopause (EM).

Watch the interviews on the Healthtalk Australia website.

 One of our major current projects in implementation research is using the Experiences and Perspectives of Women and Health Professionals to Translate Evidence into Practice.

An NHMRC Partnership Project to address knowledge gaps regarding early menopause with best practice research focusing on implementation and translation of research outputs to develop a comprehensive range of resources for consumers related to early menopause, including:

FACT SHEET: Early menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency and bone health

QUESTION PROMT LIST (QPL): for women suspecting to have Early Menopause to help prepare questions for the next discussion with the health professional

ONLINE RESOURCE: Detailing women’s experiences on early menopause hosted on the Healthtalk Australia website

Breaking the silence on early menopause

Watch the launch of the Ask Early Menopause App has been developed by researchers from the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation (MCHRI), Monash University, Monash Health and the Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health in Reproductive Life (CRE WHiRL).  Listen to Kirsty’s story and experiences with early menopause.  Recorded in 2022.