Have you been told that you have a mutation in the BRCA gene, which puts women at high risk of breast or ovarian cancer? If so, you may go through menopause earlier than most other women, and much earlier if you are a heavy smoker. Research the University of California, San Francisco, found that carriers of the mutation experience menopause at an average age of 50 instead of 53, which is more typical for US women. Women who had the abnormal gene and smoked more than 20 cigarettes a day began to go through menopause even earlier—at age 46. So if you have this mutation, you may want to think about completing your family earlier than you might otherwise have. Are you not sure whether you have the mutation? Usually, women who have it have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer. If you do, you may want to get tested. Some women with these mutations choose surgery, such as hysterectomy or mastectomy to reduce their risk of these cancers. You can learn more about these mutations and about when to consider getting tested from the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov.