Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be PredictedThe number of eggs left in a woman's ovaries are like the grains of sand in an hourglass, ticking away the hours on her biological clock.Researchers now say they may be able to predict when that clock will wind down. And while doctors can't actually count the number of eggs in an ovary, they can measure ovarian volume. British researchers say there's a direct correlation between the two, and by measuring ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, doctors should be able to predict when menopause will set in and how many fertile years a woman has left. According to the study authors, this information will revolutionize the care of women looking for assisted reproductive technologies, including those who were treated for childhood cancers as well as women who want to put off starting a family for whatever reason. Although information still needs to be validated in clinical studies, its benefit is most likely to start with women who are being treated for cancer and women attending fertility clinics, said Tom Kelsey, co-author of the study appearing June 17 in the journal Human Reproduction. "If women looking for some sort of assisted conception and their physicians know that they've got a long time till menopause, then you could plan for a range of treatments," said Kelsey, who is a senior research fellow at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. "If you knew menopause was likely in four to five years, you'd plan a different set of IVF [in vitro fertilization] treatments." Others reiterate, however, that the findings should be treated with caution. "Should a young woman who is 30 years old go for a test to figure out whether she's got three, five or 10 years left on her fertility? Should she make career decisions and life decisions? Are these data good enough to make those determinations?" asked Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "The answer is obviously no to all of those questions. The predictive value of this test is not good enough to go and tell someone to change their life." According to the article, eggs form in a female's ovary while she is still in the womb, peaking at several million about halfway through gestation and then starting a continuous decline. At birth, there are several hundred thousand and, when menstruation begins, about 300,000. At about age 37, a woman has about 25,000 eggs left, and at menopause only about 1,000. The time at which menopause sets in is widely believed to be based on the number of eggs reaching a critically low threshold. The authors of this study measured ovarian volume with transvaginal ultrasound, then looked at the relationship between ovarian volume -- ovaries shrink as a woman ages -- and number of eggs. They then applied mathematical and computer models to predict menopause. The study authors are negotiating with a medical school to set up clinical trials. The idea would be to follow women to see if their predictions were indeed correct. While these authors have come up with a tool to potentially help women plan their lives, a second study in the same issue of Human Reproduction warned that women might not want to leave it too late. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) could not be relied upon to fully compensate for lack of natural fertility after the age of 35, the article stated. The authors used a computer simulation model to determine that the overall success rate of assisted reproductive technology would be 30 percent for those attempting to get pregnant from age 30, 24 percent for those trying from age 35, and 17 percent from age 40. SOURCES: Tom Kelsey, Ph.D., senior research fellow, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland; Alan Copperman, M.D., director, reproductive medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York; June 17, 2004, Human Reproduction |
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Hot flashes: Minimize discomfort during menopause - CNN.com More than half of all women experience hot flashes during menopause. Soy and red clover. Soy and red clover are two common sources of isoflavones Menopause - Alternatives to HRT - Patient UK The menopause can cause various symptoms such as hot flushes, Red clover may be of benefit but different studies gave conflicting results. Promensil and menopause symptoms Isoflavones from red clover (Promensil) significantly reduce menopause hot flush symptoms compared with placebo. Menopause And while this is not news (red clover has been used to treat symptoms of the menopause for many years in traditional Chinese medicine), it's a welcome Red Clover, Menopause - Healthy Direct Red Clover contains isoflavones which provide natural relief from menopausal symptoms. Search for 'Red Clover' - PriceGrabber.com When applied topically, red clover may help soothe skin irritations. Red Clover is found in many herbal formulas for menopause. Red clover blossoms are also Hotflash! - FAQ - Red Clover Red clover has been made into a pill form with the brand name Promensil. The Menopause Manger: A Safe Path for Natural Change hosted by Sue Spataro, RN, Red Clover No Help For Menopause, Pills No Better Than Placebo For A study finds that red clover supplements work no better than dummy medications â” placebos â” at easing the hot flashes of menopause. BBC NEWS | Health | Red clover may combat hot flushes Scientists are testing an extract of red clover as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes. Alternative Medicine - Herbs, Yoga and Nutritional Supplements Menopause increases a woman's risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Supplementation with red clover isoflavones has been associated with a sizeable Red Clover Herb Research by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Red Clover for Red clover supplements are used to treat symptoms of menopause because of their high content of the mildly estrogenic isoflavones daidzein, genistein, |
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