Kourtney Kardashian bravely opened up about her difficulties trying to conceive with fiancé Travis Barker in a new clip for the new Hulu show, The Kardashians, which premiers on April 14th. In a now-deleted clip, Kourtney shared that she is undergoing IVF. And the experience has left her with some difficult side effects, she says, claiming that it put her “into menopause.” “It hasn’t been the most amazing experience,” she told her mom Kris Jenner in a clip for the show, sharing that she has gained weight and struggled with the gossip and pregnancy speculation stories. “I’m, like, it’s so rude to comment on people when you have no idea what they’re going through,” she says. “The medication that they’ve been giving me, they put me into menopause. Literally into menopause.”
Does IVF really cause menopause?
According to leading fertility expert, Dr. Jenna Turocy, MD of Columbia University Fertility Center, IVF does not cause menopause. “No, IVF does not cause menopause. Menopause occurs when the number of ovarian eggs falls below a critical threshold and a woman stops ovulating," she notes. “Prior to menopause, the ovary loses a cohort of eggs each month, typically ovulating one egg and the rest die off. IVF medications rescue those eggs that otherwise would have died that month. IVF doesn’t affect future eggs.” However, it makes sense that Kardashian might think she has gone into menopause based on her symptoms. Kardashian noted, “It’s like crazy. I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. I’m so crazy, I can’t take it,” she said. “I just feel like this is for safety. I hope that going through all of this is worth it. I don’t want to put my body through something like this again. The emotions of it all are just a lot.” And these are similar to menopause symptoms. “Symptoms of menopause and side effects of IVF medications are similar including hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue, difficult sleeping, and difficulty concentrating,” says Dr. Turocy. “Factors that affect the age of menopause include genetics, approximately 10% of women will be menopausal before 45, and smoking, which reduces it by two years.” However, Dr. Turocy notes that both physical and mental struggles are totally normal when undergoing IVF. “IVF and infertility in general can be extremely stressful on an individual and on a couple,” she says. “Infertility can cause high levels of distress so feelings of anxiety, sadness, irritability and loneliness are normal reactions to such a challenging experience. Research has shown that infertility does indeed lead to significant emotional distress. The prevalence of anxiety and depression is significantly higher in patients with infertility compared to those without.”
What about Lupron? Does Lupron cause Menopause?
One medication that many women with endometriosis may be on and is used quite a bit with fertility treatments is Lupron, which can also have similar side effects to menopause—and it’s a medication that has gotten a lot of women talking in terms of how it might impact time of menopause. “Lupron does not cause menopause. Lupron cannot deplete a woman’s eggs,” Dr. Turocy says. “Lupron temporarily stops the release of hormones that normally stimulate estrogen production and ovulation of eggs from the ovary. The lack of estrogen from Lupron’s ovarian suppression can cause hot flashes, mood symptoms, night sweats, vaginal dryness—all symptoms that mimic signs of menopause (where there is also a lack of estrogen). The side effects of Lupron are temporary, unlike menopause, and go away when you stop taking Lupron and it fully leaves your system.” The bottom line: IVF does not cause menopause. “IVF can be very difficult, and you may feel like you’re going through menopause, but rest assured, it’s not putting you into early menopause,” says Dr. Turocy. “IVF is tough no matter the age. Not only are patients dealing with the physical side effects of medications, such as bloating and bruising from the injections, but it also takes an emotional toll. Many feel they are no longer in control of their body. I encourage patients to find different coping strategies to decrease anxiety and develop resilience.” Next up: Best Podcasts of Fertility and Infertility
Sources
Dr. Jenna Turocy, MD of Columbia University Fertility Center
