A TikToker Says She's Going Through Early Menopause At 27 & Here's What You Should Know
"My period hadn't shown up for 3 months."
A woman at a doctor's appointment. Right: The TikToker who says she's going through early menopause.
People who get periods typically expect to go through menopause in their 40s or 50s, but one woman on TikTok is opening up about the shocking experience of dealing with menopause at the age of 27.
TikToker Leadley posted a video saying she thought she was pregnant after she started experiencing certain symptoms, and she later found out she was going through early menopause.
In the video, the English singer-songwriter has a confused face and a caption over it that says she was worried she could be pregnant because she hadn't had her period in three months. Turns out it was early menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI).
It's safe to say her clip, which has over 5 million views, has shocked a lot of people.
@iamleadley i guess hard launch ??? 🥲
In a follow-up video, Leadley explains her last period was on November 12 and before that she had it ever 24 days.
"After the second month, I just knew that there was something not right," she said.
Leadley adds that she's in a stage now called perimenopause, which is the transitional time around menopause, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
"I've been having hot flashes, my skin and hair was so dry, it was breaking off. I was struggling to sing and I'm a singer," she explained. She added that she's also experience mood swings, which she compares to having the worst PMS all the time.
From what POI is, to who is at risk and how it affects fertility, here's everything you should know about the condition.
What is primary ovarian insufficiency?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a condition that happens when a person's ovaries "fail earlier than average."
The clinic notes that the most common age when a person stops producing eggs is around 51, but for some people POI "happens abruptly" and then stops their regular menstrual period.
However, for some people, this condition may happen after months or years of irregular periods.
Cedars Sinai says POI is not rare and is more common in women in their 30s than those who are in their teens and 20s.
The condition can also affect both women who have had children in the past as well as those who have not had any kids.
What are the symptoms of primary ovarian insufficiency?
The most common symptom of POI is an irregular or missed period, as per the Cleveland Clinic.
Other symptoms may include decreased sex drive, hot flashes and night sweats, and trouble getting pregnant.
Dr. Valerie Baker with Johns Hopkins Medicine says many women don't know they have POI because they're taking oral contraceptive pills.
"When a woman's on birth control pills, she'll get the type of menstrual cycle just completely artificially from the birth control pill," said Baker, who is the director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and a professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins.
"So she has no idea if her cycles are becoming more irregular."
What causes primary ovarian insufficiency?
Baker says most of the time POI hits a woman out of the blue.
The reproductive and infertility expert says if the condition runs in the family, that would make a woman more susceptible to also being diagnosed with it.
Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery in which ovaries are removed can also put a woman at an increased risk of primary ovarian insufficiency.
Can primary ovarian insufficiency be cured?
Primary ovarian insufficiency is not reversible.
The Cleveland Clinic says doctors can help a person with POI treat symptoms and side effects, but they can't cure it.
How does primary ovarian insufficiency affect fertility?
In her TikTok videos, Leadley acknowledges that she won't be able to have biological kids, go through IVF or freeze her eggs due to her condition and will have to get a donor egg if she chooses to have children.
As a 27-year-old, the musician admits that at her age, kids are not something she's thought about.
"I don't know if that's for me. I'm 27. I didn't really know what I wanted to do yet so that sucks," she said through tears.
Unfortunately, fertility medicines don't work on someone with POI.
Baker says that's because these types of medicine work by elevating the blood levels of the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), but a body that is going through POI is already doing that in a way.
"The [FSH] levels are rising because it's trying to get the ovary to work," she said. "But it's just the ovaries are not responding because there aren't healthy follicles there that can respond and lead to ovulation."
Baker says while the condition is not reversible, it can "wax and wane."
"Sometimes, especially if the diagnosis has been relatively recent, there still is a chance that a woman would ovulate an egg and become pregnant," Baker told Narcity.
What should women know about POI?
The key message Baker wants women to takeaway about POI is that early diagnosis is super important.
She says that's why it's vital for a woman to pay attention to her menstrual cycle and go see a doctor if it becomes irregular.
"If the cycle is irregular, or a woman has one of those risk factors that we talked about for POI, she really should have an evaluation by someone who can get at least a blood test for AMH [Anti-Müllerian hormone] and help her to know if her egg supply is OK."
This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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