• Posted July 18, 2025

Depression Risk Greater In Some Women With Premature Menopause

Some women have a greater risk of depression as they go through premature menopause, according to a new study.

Premature menopause occurs when the ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40, researchers said in background notes.

The condition has been linked with a more than tripled risk for depression and nearly quintupled risk for anxiety, researchers said.

But these new findings — published July 15 in the journal Menopause — show that some women with the condition have a higher risk of depression than others.

Women were at greater risk for depression if they entered premature menopause earlier; their condition had a genetic cause; or they experienced worse menopause symptoms, researchers found.

Women grieving the loss of their fertility or without sufficient emotional support also had a higher risk, results showed.

Interestingly, the use of hormone therapy had no bearing on a woman’s depression risk, even if it eased some symptoms of menopause, researchers found.

“This suggests that psychosocial factors are crucial,” wrote the research team led by senior investigator Geranne Jiskoot, a post-doctoral researcher with Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. “Psychological interventions should focus on these factors to address the unique needs of this population.”

And even though overall severe menopause symptoms increased depression risk, one of the most maddening symptoms — hot flashes — was not associated with depression, results show.

About 3 in every 100 women will experience premature menopause, The Menopause Society says.

For the study, researchers gathered data from nearly 350 women with premature menopause. Nearly one-third (30%) had depression symptoms.

"The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in those with (premature menopause) highlights the importance of routine screening in this vulnerable population,” Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director of The Menopause Society, said in a news release.

“Although hormone therapy is recognized as the standard of care for those with (premature menopause) for management of some menopause-related symptoms and preventive care, it is not first-line treatment for mood disorders,” added Christmas, who was not involved in the research. “This was evident in this study in which there was no difference in depressive symptoms between those using hormones and those not using hormone therapy.”

Future studies are needed to test these associations, since the study was not designed to prove a direct cause-and-effect link between depression and premature menopause, researchers said.

These studies also could help determine the best ways to help women avoid depression, researchers added.

More information

The Menopause Society has more about premature menopause.

SOURCES: The Menopause Society, news release, July 16, 2025; Menopause, December 2025