Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be Predicted

The 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

peri menopause bleeding
Menopause and perimenopause information on hysterectomy and
Menopause , and perimenopause, news and information including a guide to hysterectomy, osteoporosis, and vaginal bleeding.

Menopause, Perimenopause - Glossary
Bleeding that is abnormal in frequency, severity, or duration. Not the same as normal irregular periods during perimenopause or bleeding from menopause

Menopause and Perimenopause
Heavy bleeding may be a normal sign of perimenopause. But it can also be caused by infection, disease, or a pregnancy problem.

Contraception Online: Contraception and Reproductive Health Info
During perimenopause, a woman's ovaries make less estrogen, a sex hormone. the pill include breakthrough bleeding (bleeding between periods), bloating,

progesterone cream for perimenopause, perimenopause missed periods
Perimenopause symptoms include fatigue, headaches, irritability, Day 1 is the first day bleeding. On day 12, begin using up to one teaspoon progesterone

WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for February, 2000: continuous bleeding
continuous bleeding, peri-menopause, not taking any meds. From: leslie (anonymous@obgyn.net) Sat, 26 Feb 2000 00:01:53 -0600 (CST)

Perimenopause & the Impact of Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding to
Check out Perimenopause & the Impact of Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding to Progesterone - Submitted by Chrissy & Company at Associated Content.

Menopause Perimenopause Mature Sexuality Aging HRT Womens Health
As you enter the perimenopause, your own cycles may become much more irregular. Often, the interval between bleeding becomes shorter and the bleeding

Bleeding after a hysterectomy, during perimenopause, or after
Some changes in vaginal bleeding are normal at the beginning of perimenopause. Your menstrual flow may be heavier, you may have longer or shorter intervals

Menopause and Perimenopause - Yahoo! Health
In many women in their 40s, heavy menstrual bleeding is a sign of perimenopause. However, it can be caused by infection, disease, or a pregnancy

prolonged menstral bleeding perimenopause >> Medical Questions
Hello! I am 47 years old woman and for the last 4 months I have experienced prolonged menstrual bleeding, with occasional cramping.

Information on perimenopause and menopause at MedicineNet.com
Irregular periods are common and normal during perimenopause, but not all changes in bleeding are from perimenopause or menopause.

IngentaConnect Treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding in the
Treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding in the perimenopause: The effects of adding combined estradiol/norethisterone acetate therapy to goserelin

Answers to your FAQs about abnormal bleeding without birth control
The abnormal bleeding in March can be an ovulatory problem (lack of or premature corpus luteum dysfunction) or a .. Related Books. Perimenopause

Answers to FAQs and Articles about Perimenopause and early
Answers to your most frequently asked questions FAQs about perimenopause and early She is now having a period with bleeding, bloating and cramping.

Information About Perimenopause
Still, it is not uncommon for women to experience a mixture of normal, short and long cycles during peri-menopause. Bleeding may also become heavier.

Perimenopause - CNN.com
Perimenopause marks the interval in which your body begins its transition into . Bleeding is extremely heavy â” you're changing tampons or pads every hour

Perimenopause
Is Heavy, Irregular Bleeding, or Bleeding After Sex Normal During Perimenopause? A look at irregular bleeding during perimenopause.

Perimenopausal and menopausal bleeding
How is abnormal uterine bleeding in menopause or perimenopause evaluated? Traditionally, an endometrial biopsy, or sampling of the lining of the uterus is


peri menopause bleeding
menopause play boston
menopause migraine
sign of perimenopause
menopause nausea symptom