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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Naturopathic Perspectives » Menopause Myths Menopause Myths Debunked. MYTH: Menopause is a disease to be cured. FACT: Just like puberty, menopause is a natural and normal event in a womanâ™s life to be Do You Believe these 7 Menopause Myths? Menopause Myths <em>Image: Astrocytes in culture</em> People talk about menopause like they are experts and know all the facts. The reality is that unless The myths and realities of menopause | Nutrition Health Review The myths and realities of menopause from Nutrition Health Review in Health provided free by Find Articles. Myths About Hormone Therapy and Menopause There are lots of myths floating around about hormone therapy and menopause. So here's some useful information on hormone therapy and menopause to help you Debunking Myths of Menopause Menopause Symptoms Relief With menopause sexuality is not over and your doctor can help with treatments to relieve menopause symptoms. Menopause: Myths vs. Facts Menopause Myths & Facts: What Every Woman Should Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy is a brand-new easy-to-read book by Lorraine Rothman (co-founder of Menopause: Myths 22 vs. Facts Above is an excerpt from the book, Menopause Myths & Facts: What Every Woman Should Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy, by Lorraine Rothman MS MS, Myths of Menopause Quiz menopause and hormones · menopause signs and symptoms · physiology of menopause · menopause timeline · effects of estrogen · myths of menopause quiz STLtoday - Life & Style - Health & Fitness Let's pause and count the myths of menopause. By Patricia Corrigan. SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH. 12/24/2007. Ah, menopause â” if you're a woman, Menopause Myths and Folklore - Menopause Menopause is a normal developmental phase for a woman, but myths abound. - Menopause Myths and Folklore - Menopause is a personally written site at Mayo Clinic - Debunking Myths of Menopause There's no shortage of myths and misconceptions about menopause â” which begins at the one-year mark after a woman's final period, says Mary Marnach, M.D., Debunking menopause myths - Health - MSNBC.com Dr. Patricia Allen helps clear up some of the biggest misconceptions about 'the change'. Baby Boomer Talk & other stuff: Myths about Menopause Myths about Menopause. Myth #1 When you go into menopause your sex life is over. WRONG! One of the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause is vaginal 10 Myths Men Believe About Menopause -- ThirdAge ThirdAge Health presents a he says/she says menopause factsheet. Myth-Busting Menopause Quiz -- ThirdAge Take this quiz to learn more about menopause or debunk any myths you may believe. Menopause: Myths and Medicine - Quantum TV Special & Website Menopause: Myths and Medicine Many of us will experience menopause without really understanding what's happening. 'Menopause: Myths, Menopause 1700-2000 Menopause Myths - Watch WebMD Video A generation ago, no one talked about menopause. Today it's openly discussed. But some common menopause myths persist. Myths About Menopause - DrDonnica.com - The First Name in Women's Read a radio transcript about the myths, misinformation, and misconception of menopause. Menopause Myths - DrDonnica.com - The First Name in Women's Health Read about common misconceptions of menopause. Learn that symptoms of menopause, like any other disease or disorder, can be treated. |
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