A 27-year-old TikToker went viral for going through 'menopause': What is POI?

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A TikToker is going viral after sharing her "menopause" diagnosis at age 27.

Leadley, an English singer-songwriter, posted a series of videos on Tuesday, giving followers an update on her health.

In her first video, which has since racked up more than 3.6 million views, Leadley shares that she was "worried" she could be pregnant because her period "hadn't shown up" for three months. She writes at the end of the eight-second video: "Turns out it's menopause."

In subsequent videos, the 27-year-old tells followers she's been diagnosed with premature [primary] ovarian insufficiency, also known as POI.

"It happens to one per cent of women under 40 and 0.1 per cent of women under 30," she says. Adding, "my ovaries are not working."

"I've been having hot flashes, my skin and hair were so dry, it was breaking off, I was struggling to sing and I'm a singer," she tells the camera.

What is premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)?

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), sometimes called premature ovarian failure, is when your ovaries stop working before age 40.

With POI, the ovary doesn't release an egg each month as it should. When this happens, a woman's menstrual cycle becomes irregular and stops. The ovaries stop making hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and cease to release eggs (ovulate) regularly or whatsoever. While symptoms of POI mimic those of menopause, POI isn't premature menopause, as a woman with POI may still have some function of her ovaries.

Menopause usually occurs around age 50. In the transition period before menopause, called perimenopause, the ovaries make smaller and smaller amounts of hormones each month. When a woman reaches menopause, the menstrual cycle stops and the ovaries run out of eggs.

Conversely, women with POI may still have irregular or normal menstrual cycles. They may continue to intermittently ovulate, make hormones and have menstrual cycles for months or years before their ovaries completely shut down.

Dr. Wendy Wolfman, a gynocologist and director of the Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, tells Yahoo Canada that one per cent of the population has POI; however, she notes that "it's probably higher than that, it's probably over three per cent now."

"It's most likely gone up because of women who have survived treatments for cancers," she explains.

"One out of 100 women is a lot of people. It's not so rare."

In another report, researchers place the overall risk before age 40 at one per cent. Between 18-25, the risk is one in 10,000. For women between 25-30, the risk is one in 1,000 and for those between 35-40, the risk jumps to one in 100.

What causes premature ovarian insufficiency?

"About 85 per cent of the time we won't know why women develop premature ovarian insufficiency," Wolfman tells Yahoo Canada.

In some cases, researchers have linked POI to prior cancer treatments or past surgeries, autoimmune conditions, eating disorders, thyroid disease, certain genetic conditions and infections that may have damaged the ovaries, such as mumps.

What are the symptoms of premature ovarian insufficiency?

Many women with POI experience normal puberty and have regular menstrual cycles before their symptoms start. According to HealthLinkBC, symptoms of POI mimic those of menopause and may include:

• Irregular periods or periods that have stopped altogether

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Irritability

• Vaginal dryness

• Low sex drive

• Trouble sleeping

How is premature ovarian insufficiency treated?

There is no cure for premature ovarian insufficiency; however, treatments are available to help manage symptoms.

Many women with POI will be prescribed hormone replacement therapy, sometimes via the birth control pill, to replace the hormones no longer produced by their ovaries.

Hormone therapy is extremely important for those with POI as it helps prevent long-term cardiovascular and bone problems. It also provides symptomatic relief and improves overall quality of life.

According to the Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Clinic, hormone replacement therapy does not have the same concerns as those used in older women. "It is replacement therapy, just as insulin is replaced in diabetic patients," it states.

How does premature ovarian insufficiency affect fertility?

Fertility struggles go hand in hand with POI. For women with POI, pregnancy is not impossible, but it can be challenging. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, approximately 10 per cent of women with POI may be able to conceive using their own eggs.

Since success rates for fertility treatment options are low, many healthcare practitioners recommend using a donor egg to increase your odds of conception.

'Not been well looked after by the medical community'

"There should be more centres for premature ovarian insufficiency," Wolfman tells Yahoo Canada. "I think this is a group of women who have not been well looked after by the medical community."

Currently, the Premature Ovarian Insufficiency Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto is the only clinic of its kind in Canada.

"We need more research as to the causes," Wolfman says.

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