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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Home Remedies for Menopause, Menopause Treatment, Causes, Symptoms The main cause of menopause is lack of the secretion of estrogen from ovary. Menopause period is painful, irritating. Given below are some of the most The Evolution of Menopause by Antagonistic Pleiotropy ovary; menopause itself corresponds to the ultimate exhaustion of the follicle reserve. 14 . The follicular-depletion system which in humans causes Ovarian cancer and menopause - WebMD You have an increased risk of ovarian cancer if you have a family history of ovarian cancer, have never been pregnant, or over the age of 50. Menopause and Ovarian Cancer Menopause itself is not associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. However, the rates of many cancers, including ovarian cancer, Neuroscience Letters : Chronic loss of ovarian function decreases Many women have accelerated weight gain after menopause when the ovaries cease functioning. This is associated with increased fat mass 10, 13 and 18. Laboratory Twenty-two: Female Reproductive System I SLIDE 89d, ovary rat (H&E); SLIDE 89c, ovary (H&E); SLIDE 89b, ovary, menopause (H&E); SLIDE 90b, oviduct, ampulla (H&E); SLIDE 89p, ovary, Ovarian Cyst After Menopause Article An ovarian cyst after menopause is not a functional cyst and most gynecologists will want to do a thorough evaluation since menopausal women should not be Menopause - MSN Encarta Menopause marks the end of a womanâ™s natural ability to bear children. Menopause is usually preceded by 10 to 15 years during which the ovaries gradually Removing Ovaries Before Menopause Can Lead To Memory And Movement Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause are at an increased risk of developing memory problems or dementia and movement disorders such as Ovarian Cysts, Menopause - Power Surge Women who are past menopause (ages 50-70) with ovarian cysts have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. At any age, if you think you have a cyst, itâ™s important DrN4u.com : Hysterectomy : Keep Your Ovaries Or Not The normally functioning postmenopausal ovary also may be capable of producing significant amounts of testosterone for several years following menopause. Ultrasound and the Menopause Web Booklet -- Frames Version Specifically, issues related to the menopause, ovarian cancer and In fact, the reliable identification of an ovary can often no longer be made by Menopause Myth of Ovary Failure - Menopause A menopause myth is that women in menopause suffer from ovary failure, but they´re going through a completely natural life process and they can learn Septated cyst on right can't find left ovary? - Menopause MedHelp's Ask-a-Doctor Menopause Forum. This forum is for questions and support regarding Menopause. Questions will be answered by a medical expert. Menopause - womenshealthchannel Menopause is a normal biological event that occurs when a woman's ovaries stop producing female hormones (e.g., estrogen and progesterone) and menstrual Post Menopause Bleeding Missing Ovary - Menopause - MedHelp Uterine prolapse exam the doctor feels in the area where the ovary is supposed to be. Often it can be felt, but after menopause the ovary gets smaller and Taking Charge of Menopause Menopause is the result of ovarian failure, which sounds ominous, but is actually a normal part of aging. Over time, the ovaries gradually lose the ability Menopause symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment on MedicineNet.com Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The ovary, or female gonad, is one of a pair of reproductive glands in |
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