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 - Health - Ask the doctor - Polycystic ovary syndrome and the How does the menopause affect PCOS? Will this mean the end of my problems or could PCOS affect me after the menopause too? PCOS - Does Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) change at menopause? Does Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) change at menopause? According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, researchers are looking at how PCOS Research Review Testosterone levels in PCOS fall as menopause nears Certainly, with PCOS there is a higher bone density at menopause, thus reducing fracture risk. PCOS after menopause? : PCOS Forum : Active Low-Carber Forums Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, CAD, Zone, Dr. Bernstein, CKD and any other low-carb high-protein diet, all are welcome in our lowcarb discussion Hormonal Acne in Women | Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS Hormonal Acne in Women | Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) | Menopause Acne The underlying cause of PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that results in an FSD Online Slides: ovary, oophorectomy, menopause, estrogen, PCOS Educational resources (slide library and streaming media) for health professionals on female sexual dysfunction risks (depression, menopause, estrogen and Menopause and PCOS sites - PCOS Message Board Some menopausal cysters may be interested in these links: PCOS-Menopause PCOS-Menopause is an e-mail. Women`s Health: Early Menopause or PCOs? nanci; indeed this could be. sometimes doctor dont look at it as menopause due to the age of the patient,but women can have early menopause at any age. i The Oldest and Largest Infertility (INCIID) Adoption. Parenting A healthy lifestyle is probably the best defense. It seems as women approach menopause that the severity of PCOS improves, as judged by hormonal parameters. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Because PCOS affects many systems in the body, many symptoms persist even though ovarian function and hormone levels change as a woman nears menopause. Power Surge Forums > PCOS and Menopause I'm very curious to know if there are any members out there who had/have PCOS and have gone through menopause. I have PCOS (was diagnosed finallly correctly Menopause / PCOS: Estrogen Loss and Aging Your presentation reviewed the issues surrounding PCOS and menopause. Do we need to be concerned about polycystic ovary syndrome in a time when the ovary Pcos and Menopause - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community Pcos and Menopause PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support. menopause email lists and medical web sites Lynda Weigang, who is herself dealing with PCOS and Menopause has agreed to help Research into the area of PCOS and Menopause is virtually nonexistent. menopause & PCOS Hi, I don't know if anyone can help with this but here goes; I have PCOS (diagnosed by my Dr). I have a complete lack of periods and have had for some. PCOS-DIET Messages for April, 2001 Leslie; pcos and menopause terry; Lost 9 pounds Melissa; Re: diet --good stuff/ insulin resistance Diane; oopsforgot the address Janie; I've lost 200 lbs PCOS Messages for August, 2003: Re: PCOS/BREASTFEEDING/MENOPAUSE I had 2 successful pcos pg's and ended up with a surgery induced menopause 2/02, hysterectomy. I still take met 2200 mg's a day. My pcos symptoms are about Menopause - Managing the Symptoms of PCOS Dr. Spandorfer and Dr. Futterweit provide an overview of the symptoms of PCOS and provide insights on how to manage the symptoms of polycystic ovarian PCOS What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome? There is help and hope for women with PCOS, find out what every woman should as diabetes and lipid abnormalities, of PCOS can last long after menopause. |
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