## Can Radiation Exposure Trigger Early Menopause?
Radiation exposure, especially as part of cancer treatment, can indeed trigger early menopause in women. This is a topic that touches on biology, medicine, and the real-life experiences of many women who undergo treatments like radiotherapy for cancers affecting the pelvis or abdomen. To understand how this happens, it’s helpful to look at what menopause is, how radiation affects the ovaries, and what this means for women’s health.
## What Is Menopause?
Menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop permanently. It usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The key change is that the ovaries stop releasing eggs and produce much less estrogen and progesterone—hormones that regulate menstruation and fertility. When menopause happens before age 40, it’s called premature menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency.
The signs of menopause include irregular periods (which eventually stop), hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, trouble sleeping, vaginal dryness, thinning hair, dry skin
