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 |
| the menopause center |
|
Menopause Center info and doctors at ADC The Menopause Center at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic provides an innovative approach to caring for women at midlife. Consultations take into consideration Royal Hospital for Women The Sydney Menopause Centre at the Royal Hospital for Women aims to The Sydney Menopause Centre runs a weekday clinic for women with menopause symptoms. Women's Health with Dixie Health, Inc. Medical Library: Conditions, ,Procedures Drug Database, Medical Dictionary En Español: Condiciones | Procedimientos. Menopause Center Menopause Center The Center for Menopause, Hormonal Disorders and Women's Health is founded to evaluate and treat women at a critical time of medical need with a team of Menopause symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment on MedicineNet.com Welcome to The TidesOfLife PMS & Menopause Center Our Royal Jelly Caps are fit for a Queen - that's YOU! Enjoy Super Natural Health! Menopause.net.au - Welcome Menopause symptoms include hot flashes, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and mood changes. home > menopause center > menopause a-z list > menopause index Menopause Centre of Australia - Home The Adelaide Hormone & Menopause Centre promotes consultation, counselling & research in womens health and the management of reproductive hormone related Menopause Resource Center Every woman experiences menopause differently. Our aim at the Menopause Centre is to provide a treatment program individually designed to help your Menopause Health Center - DrDonnica.com - The First Name in Find information about Providence medical and support services related to menopause, as well as links to health information that Providence trusts. ThirdAge: Menopause center Whether youâ™re young and donâ™t expect to experience menopause for years or youâ™re a hot flash veteran, you should know what you can do to keep fit and center2 Menopause is the time when the menstrual period ceases and the ovaries permanently stop releasing eggs. Menopause is considered complete when a woman has Saginaw Menopause Center You are visitor # 1 8 8 2 2. Last updated on October 2007 by Mishi Co. Menopause, health, signs, treatment -- RealAge Health Quiz Learn more about menopause and your treatment options, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Take the free RealAge Menopause Health Assessment for WebMD Menopause Center - Find menopause information including Menopause affects every woman differently; in fact, 50% of women never suffer symptoms such as hot flashes. Find in-depth menopause information including Menopause Center Glossary Health News Home; Community Home; RSS News Feed; Message Boards; Blogs; Newsletters & Alerts. WebMD Home Menopause Health Center. Email a Friend Menopause Center - Doctors who treat menopause symptoms & provide Menopause Center - hormone replacement therapy - Physicians & Doctors who treat menopause symptoms & perimenopause - hormone replacement therapy. United Hospital | Services & Programs | The Menopause Center The Menopause Center helps women 35 and older who are dealing with issues and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. |
| the menopause center |
|
premenopause sign signs menopause menopause play boston ma perimenopause list of symptoms |