For most women early menopause is a frightening experience, even though it comes with the cessation of the monthly bleeding which may seem like a relief to many. It is as if age has somehow caught up. Women believe that this is the beginning of the end, that sexual pleasure is on the downswing, the vagina will dry up, bones will disintegrate, skin will become wrinkled and dry, weight will increase and depression will soon set in. Dr Bernard Brom takes a closer look at the causes and diagnosis of early menopause.