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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BBC - Relationships - Sex and sexual health - When sex hurts It's quite common for women to suffer some discomfort after childbirth, The menopause. Intercourse may be more painful during the menopause as lower Womens HealthCare Forum: Menopause Thatâ™s why women continue to have low levels of estrogen after menopause. Estrogen loss, however, is definitely the main reason for painful intercourse. painful intercourse - Menopause - MedHelp painful intercourse. This forum is for questions and support regarding menopause issues such as: Depression, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Hot Flashes, Alexander Foundation for Womens Health Painful sex can have both physical and emotional causes. such as during or just after pregnancy, while breastfeeding or near or after menopause. Painful Intercourse After Menopause? "I've tried Vagifem, and it hasn't helped â” what do I do now?" Menopause and Sexual Desire - Is There Sex After Menopause? Is loss of sexual desire after menopause normal? only one issue related to decreased estrogen production during menopause â“ painful sexual intercourse. Painful intercourse - WrongDiagnosis.com After these injuries painful superficial ulcers may develop. Age of person with painful intercourse? - e.g. Menopause may be associated with a dry MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Sexual intercourse - painful For painful intercourse in women after pregnancy: If you are going through menopause and lubricants don't work, talk to your doctor about estrogen PAINFUL TIGHT sex after menopause >> Medical Questions, Weight After I went through Menopause sex is very painful. It isn't dryness.. I can use a lot of lubricant (Astroglide) and it makes no difference, Women's Health Advisor 2005.4: Painful Intercourse The medical term for painful intercourse is dyspareunia. During or after menopause, an estrogen cream put on the vaginal area may help. Women's Health Advisor 2005.4: Pain with Sexual Relations in Older The medical term for painful intercourse sex is dyspareunia. hormone medicine to replace some of the estrogen hormone that decreases after menopause. |
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