A woman is considered premenopausal until her menstrual periods have stopped for 12 months in a row without a medical reason. After 12 months without a period, a woman is considered postmenopausal.

A hormone called estrogen helps keep menstrual periods regular and protect bones, too. In the premenopausal years, hormonal balance and regular periods are important for healthy bones.

Bone density testing is not routinely recommended for premenopausal women and is only considered in rare cases.

Once you know your personal risk factors for osteoporosis, you can take actions to control many risks that can be changed.

Many lifestyle factors can increase the risk for osteoporosis. These include eating a nutrient-poor diet especially if it is low in calcium, low vitamin D intake, getting too little physical activity, smoking, and drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages.

Premenopausal women are rarely treated with osteoporosis medications. One of the few exceptions to this is the treatment of premenopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis caused by the long-term use of steroid medication.