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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Depression In Later Stages Of Menopause - Tips To Manage Depression In Later Stages Of Menopause - Tips To Manage Depression And Anxiety With Menopause. Sound Medicine: Stages of Menopause Stages of Menopause. Listen to Sound Medicine, the weekly talk radio show sponsored by the IU School of Medicine and WFYI, 90.1 FM, the Indianapolis NPR My Menopause Blog » Stages of Menopause Archive for the 'Stages of Menopause' Category. My Menopause Blog: The Menopause Primer. Unless I read back in my blog, which I am loath to do right now, Menopause & Hormone Therapy - Stages of Menopause - Perimenopause Perimenopause. Understanding Menopause > Stages of Menopause > Perimenopause. Perimenopause marks the time when your body begins its move into menopause. the seven stages of menopause « raincoaster the seven stages of menopause. via Archie, from whom I ruthlessly rent this image. Sue me, O Patriarchal One (IF you dare!)! the seven dwarves of menopause Menopause & Hormone Therapy - Stages of Menopause - Premature Premature Menopause. Understanding Menopause > Stages of Menopause > Premature Menopause. Premature menopause is menopause that happens before the age of 40 The Stages of Menopause - Associated Content Check out The Stages of Menopause - Submitted by Crystal Sky at Associated Content. The Stages of Menopause - Associated Content Check out The Stages of Menopause - Submitted by Tina Samuels at Associated Content. Menopause - Information About Menopause Stages and Signs Menopause is preceded by perimenopause and followed by post menopause. All three stages come with their own telltale signs with considerable overlap from The Stages of Menopause at Menopause Insight Menopause Insight is a wonderfully insightful website designed for women experiencing the change of life known as Menopause. Research the various stages of Menopause: The Stages of Menopause and Managing Menopause Symptoms This article describes the basic stages of menopause, common symptoms of menopause, and treatments that can help to reduce the discomfort of menopause. Information on Menopause Stages, Menopause Symptoms and Menopause Menopause Information. Learn all about Menopause, its symptoms, its stages and find natural ways to treat it! Menopause - Stages of menopause, Physiological changes, Treatments Stages of Menopause. Women go through different phases of menopause, including perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal periods. Menopause & Hormone Therapy - Stages of Menopause - Menopause Age Page: Menopause - This fact sheet explains what menopause is, and the different symptoms and health concerns that accompany the different stages. Menopause & Hormone Therapy - Stages of Menopause Menopause is only one of several stages in the reproductive life of a woman. The whole menopause transition is divided into four main stages known as: Menopause, Menopause Symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, itching 35 Possible Symptoms Associated with various Stages of Menopause. If you have two or more of the following symptoms, it COULD be the onset of peri-menopause Menopause Symptoms, Treatments and Stages of Menopause- BWH What is menopause? Learn about the early symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes or the different stages of menopause such as perimenopause. Stages of Menopause There are four stages of menopause - premenopause, perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause. Discover the differences in menopause stages. The Stages of Menopause In popular culture, the term is used more loosely to mean the entire process ⓠthree of the four stages including perimenopause through post-menopause. |
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