'I was 26 and trying for a baby when doctors told me something I never expected to hear.'

At 26 years old, just as Cailan Brownlee had started trying for a baby with her husband, she heard the words that no woman expects to hear so young; she had premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and would soon enter menopause.

And so, her life took a turn that few in their twenties are prepared for.

"When we first found out, it was pretty horrific. We didn't know how to come to terms with that," she told Mamamia.

Now 30, Cailan has decided to share her story to urge women to listen to their bodies and seek answers early.

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No warning signs, no clear answers.

It all began shortly after Cailan's wedding in 2019.

Like many couples, she and her husband, Trent, assumed pregnancy would come naturally.

But six months into trying, nothing had happened.

Mildly concerned, she visited her GP, who referred her to a fertility specialist, which is a standard next step after trying unsuccessfully for six to 12 months.

Tests began. Doctors looked into everything from endometriosis to polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Cailan Brownlee was diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency at 26. Image: Supplied.

But the results were puzzling as most things appeared normal.

Then came the diagnosis that changed everything.

POI occurs "when the ovaries stop working as they should before age 40," according to Mayo Clinic. It's slightly different from early menopause as people diagnosed with POI "can have irregular or occasional periods for years."

Cailan was left reeling by the diagnosis.

"I was told I would be in menopause stage six months after I had the POI," Cailan said.

"When we found out, we were in the middle of when COVID hit here in Australia — we couldn't find that diagnosis out face-to-face. It was over a Zoom call on the laptop. To not actually get it right in your face was pretty upsetting.

"Straight away, I was like, well, all the dreams I hoped for of having a baby aren't going to happen. It's just pretty much non-existent."

Cailan has always dreamed of being a mother. Image: Supplied.

Complicating the shock of the diagnosis was the fact Cailan didn't have any warning signs.

"There wasn't really any signs or symptoms. It was more than when we were trying for a baby that nothing was coming of it," she said. "There was no warning whatsoever.

"We kept trying and nothing was happening."

The doctor's message to Cailan was a clear and stark one.

"He pretty much just put it on the lines of 'you need to act now. We need to try and do IVF treatment to try and see if there's anything functioning down there,'" she explained.

IVF proved unsuccessful.

Watch: The comprehensive perimenopause checklist recommended by a GP. Post continues below.

"Nothing was like working. The stimulants aren't doing anything for treatment and, in other words, there was just one per cent chance of falling pregnant naturally," Cailan said.

What made Cailan's fertility more difficult is the fact she's always struggled with irregular periods — and is still struggling with irregular periods.

When she does get one, it's normally heavy but devoid of typical symptoms such as pain or cramping, which help women track ovulation or predict menstruation.

"I might get it tomorrow and won't even know," she said. "I'll get it one month, then I might not get it the next. Or I might even get it like three to five months later. I just never know."

This inconsistency makes fertility tracking nearly impossible.

Looking towards the future.

Cailan is anything if not resilient. Although it's difficult at times, she's made a form of peace with the diagnosis and has accepted the fact she will not be able to conceive unaided.

The couple have decided to go down the path of embryo donation as Cailan is able to carry a child.

She recently found out she had stage-four endometriosis, and had surgery to remove the excisions to improve her chances of falling pregnant with a donor embryo.

Image: Supplied.

"I've kinda understood what I have, and the next steps going forward, it kind of made it that little bit easier," she said, explaining they're seeing a fertility specialist in Hawaii for treatment as it comes with more donor options.

"We're just finding a person that looks like me. They give you all the characteristics and details like their family history.

"Going down the donor path was a really hard choice to make. It's a slow process. We've already done two rounds of embryo donation."

Cailan fell pregnant after the second round last year, but seven weeks later she miscarried.

"That was pretty traumatising for us," she said. "Then we were like, okay what are we gonna do? Do we go again? Then, together, we just decided that we just needed a year free of stimulants and like the whole IVF routine and schedule."

The couple plan to resume treatment later this year after they raise funds for their trip.

Cailan has one message for anyone who is thinking about starting a family.

"If you think something is wrong, go see your GP," she said. "Even though for me, I didn't think something was wrong until we started trying for a baby, it took us six to 12 months to find out that something was actually wrong.

"So for anyone out there, go see a GP, go see a gynaecologist, go see anyone as early as you can."

A crowdfunding page has been set up for Cailan and Trent.

Feature image: Supplied.

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