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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Perimenopause Women who can't tolerate birth control pills are more likely to develop PMS and have a difficult perimenopause. Adjusting the dose, brand or time you take Is Pregnancy Possible During Perimenopause? Ask your health care provider about your choices for birth control, unless you want to get pregnant during perimenopause. Diseases and Conditions Encyclopedia : Discovery Health Perimenopause refers to the time just before menopause, that is, before a woman A woman who does not wish to get pregnant needs to use birth control. Early Onset of Perimenopause Linked to Economic Hardship - October The World Health Organization defines perimenopause as the phase during (and thus the number of eggs an infant girl has at birth) or by accelerating the Menopause & Hormone Therapy - Stages of Menopause - Perimenopause Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are often the treatment of choice to relieve perimenopausal symptoms â” even if you don't need them for birth Birth control during perimenopause - Yahoo! Health If you are younger than 45 and think you have reached menopause, check with your health professional before you stop using birth control. Very-Low-Dose Birth Control Pills in Mid-Life (Perimenopause Perimenopausal women who have a history of deep blood clots, breast cancer or heart disease should not take very-low-dose birth control pills. Birth Control and Perimenopause: When Do I Stop Taking the Pill? Birth Control and Perimenopause: When Do I Stop Taking the Pill? Menopause and Birth Control But I am taking birth control pills. My understanding is that as long as I take the pills, Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause. MenopauseRx - The Perimenopause Explained A study by Casper, et al from Canada(3) using low dose birth control pills in the perimenopause found treated women experienced fewer and less severe hot BCPs Most often, your doctor will suggest birth control pills for you if youâ™re perimenopausal -- that is, youâ™re still getting your periods, youâ™re not testing Oral Contraceptives for Perimenopausal Women While the main goal of using birth control pills for perimenopausal women is to get rid of certain perimenopausal symptoms, women using these pills can also Birth control pills and perimenopause from Women to Women Explains birth control pills in perimenopause including information about perimenopause and pregnancy from WomenToWomen. Very-Low-Dose Birth Control Pills for Perimenopausal Women Information about very-low-dose birth control pills for perimenopausal women from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Contraception Online: Contraception and Reproductive Health Info Female sterilization is the most common method of birth control for women in their early 40s (see figure). Half of all perimenopausal women rely upon female What is Perimenopause? - WebMD WedMD helps you understand the transition into perimenopause. Other options that may control hot flashes include the birth control skin patch, Hotflash! - FAQ - Birth Control Pills and perimenopause Low dose birth control pills (BCPs) like Alesse, EstraStep, and Loestrin can effectively minimize perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes, irritability, Perimenopause Some women take oral contraceptives (birth control pills, or "the pill") to ease perimenopausal symptoms--even if they don't need them for birth control. WomanLinks.com - Birth Control And Perimenopause: When Do I Stop A Women's Commmunity of Support, Spirituality, Growth and Empowerment, Perimenopause is the time just before menopause. Officially, menopause starts the |
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