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 |
| perimenopause weight gain |
|
Perimenopause Weight Gain Learn about Perimenopause Weight Gain, and search for other issues and information about coping with modern menopause. Perimenopause weight gain Most women are affected by weight gain during perimenopause. This can become a serious problem to a womanâ™s self esteem if not given the necessary Weight Gain And Perimenopause Weight gain and perimenopause are closely related because many women experience unexplained weight gain especially around the midsection as they enter Perimenopause weight gain â” causes and solutions Learn about the links between hormonal balance and body fat, the causes of unexplained weight gain, why menopausal weight gain is so common, Weight gain as a symptom of perimenopause or menopause, resulting Sudden or unusual weight gain in perimenopause is a result of hormone imbalance. Women to Women offers a natural program to restore hormonal balance through How to lose perimenopause weight gain through diet, weight loss Perimenopause is a time when women often experience weight gain and find attempts to loss perimenopause weight gain near futile. Women in perimenopause can Menopause, early perimenopause symptoms, night sweats Offers topics on menopause. Early perimenopause symptoms and night sweats. ·Perimenopause Symptoms ·Weight Gain and Menopause Perimenopause Weight Gain Article Perimenopause weight gain may be attributed to an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone in the body, often helped by lifestyle changes or hormone Weight gain after menopause: Reverse the middle age spread - CNN.com For most women, increases and shifts in weight begin during perimenopause â” the years leading up to menopause. On average, women gain about a pound a year Discovery Health :: Menopause :: Perimenopause Still, women between the ages of 45 and 50 put on significantly more weight than men, leading researchers to believe that perimenopausal weight gain can be Perimenopause naturally: an integrative medicine approach On average, the onset of perimenopause occurs around age 47, Aging also contributes to many changes like weight gain, alterations in metabolic rate, |
| perimenopause weight gain |
|
perimenopause estrogen menopause hormone menopause the musical gem theater menopause skin stain sweat |