Does ivf cause perimenopause?

[Awaywiththeclouds]

Im 40, have been on fertility treatment cycles for the past 4 years (mainly IVF). Recently my menses have been very 'light' and lasted only a few days. Is this a knock on effect from the treatment?
Thank you in advance for your replies

Watching. I am 37 and since my last IVF (that resulted in MC) my cycles have become short and light. I asked IVF clinic and they said it's nothing to worry. But didn't really give any reason

Bump

Watching too. My cycle length has gradually gone from the "normal" 5 or 6 days in my mid 30's to only 2 days (and quite clotty) now at almost 40. I've been undergoing fertility treatment (medicated IUI's and IVF) for the past 18 months.

Ive had 5 ivf cycles from age 32-40 and my last ever period age 43!

If it's not too painful, can I ask if your 5 rounds ended with a success @Lozzerbmc ? I'd be willing to put up with it possibly causing early menopause if it meant my IVF was successful...

How many eggs are you getting each time? If you think about it if you did 5 rounds of IVF and say got 15 eggs each time that's a total of 75 eggs.....so 6 years worth of eggs. If we are born with all the eggs we will ever have then yea it's feasible that multiple rounds producing high numbers of eggs would cause menopause to happen earlier?

No. Every menstrual cycle starts with lots of follicles/eggs being activated and most dying off before one becomes dominant. Roughly we go down by 1000 eggs per normal menstrual cycle. The IVF doesn't use up our eggs faster - as it harnesses all the ones that were further along developing and otherwise would have withered away.

That's not to say that some of the hormones may have more complex effects on menopause. I can't find it backed up in journals though - but I haven't looked extensively.

It's likely that women requiring fertility treatment are likelier to have menopause earlier than women who get pregnant easily.

hi
In 2018 I had 2 rounds of icsi only 5 eggs collected each time
I had my daughter in 2019 and since then I don’t feel the same
every time I’m due to ovulate and every time I’m actually due on ( so twice a month) I go dizzy, hot flushes, foggy head you name it.. I’ve decided myself I definitely know it’s to do with the ivf cycles as they do have to put you in a mini menupause to stop your system so they can you drugs to make more eggs
I don’t want to feel like I’m in a menupase at 35years old well 36 last week
All because we wanted a baby x

I didn’t need ivf for a problem with me I was fine it was partners sperm what was not very good and needed the helping hand to get where it should x

@shazzz1xx

That's why I only did short protocol IVF - ie no down reg drugs to simulate menopause as I was worried about longer term effects

I did a long protocol then a short protocol 3 month after x

@indub

No. Every menstrual cycle starts with lots of follicles/eggs being activated and most dying off before one becomes dominant. Roughly we go down by 1000 eggs per normal menstrual cycle. The IVF doesn't use up our eggs faster - as it harnesses all the ones that were further along developing and otherwise would have withered away.

That's not to say that some of the hormones may have more complex effects on menopause. I can't find it backed up in journals though - but I haven't looked extensively.

It's likely that women requiring fertility treatment are likelier to have menopause earlier than women who get pregnant easily.

Thanks @indub, it is quite comforting to know (that IVF is unlikely to directly be the cause of perimenopause). Hopefully @Awaywiththeclouds will feel reassured too. It's frightening to wonder if the treatment you need to help with your fertility could be reducing your future fertility even more!

@ivfbeenbusy - thanks for your help too. Although it clearly works for many women, I'm grateful they didn't suggest long protocol for me - short protocol has been hard enough! (and not yet successful but I've only had one cycle)

@shazzz1xx that's really horrible for you, but at least you got DD out of it At the moment I'm feeling like early menopause would be worth it, if it meant I could have a child...

True.. I do think ooorrrrrr wel I got what I wanted so be it x

Thank you everyone for the replies.

I’m early 40s and my period started to get super short and light (they were short anyway) after my miscarriage. I’ve also heard from friends who have never ttc that their periods have got lighter as they got older. I think it’s just entering our 40s rather than the effects of ivf