Premature menopause and women's sexuality

Premature menopause (PM) refers to menopause occurring at or before the age of 40. It may be spontaneous, and is referred to as “premature ovarian failure” (POF). PM may be iatrogenic; that is, secondary to surgical removal of both ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy), or to the irreversible ovarian damage caused by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, either pelvic or total body irradiation. The POF acronym currently encompasses all modalities of ovarian exhaustion, when the ovaries remain on site.
This review focuses on the main characteristics of PM and its impact on the three major dimensions of human sexuality: sexual identity, sexual function, and sexual relationships, with special attention to options for fertility protection.