Severity of menopause symptoms and lack of emotional support are likely reasons why some women experience depression during early menopause, finds a study on Wednesday.

Premature menopause, medically known as premature or primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), is a condition in which the ovaries cease to function normally before the age of 40. It has been linked to an elevated lifetime risk for depression and anxiety.

Affected women not only experience the effects of oestrogen deficiency, but they also experience the unanticipated loss of reproductive function. However, some women are more adversely affected by depression and anxiety by these changes than others.