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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IngentaConnect Changes in sex behaviour after menopause: effects Changes in sex behaviour after menopause: effects of tibolone. Authors: Palacios S.1; Menendez C.; Jurado A.R.; Castano R.; Vargas J.C. Pregnancy After Menopause Article Pregnancy after menopause is a concern for some women who are going through the change of life, but are not ready to give up their child-bearing years. Sex After Menopause Sexual relationships after menopause can indeed be satisfying if you are able Can menopause change your sex life? United States National Institutes of Sex After Menopause Women do go through physical changes after menopause that can affect how they feel about sex. These changes can be positive for many women. Heart rate and its variability change after the menopause Heart rate and its variability change after the menopause. C. L. Brockbank, F. Chatterjee, S. A. Bruce*andR. C. Woledgeâ . Institute of Human Performance, Planned Parenthood - Menopause A few symptoms â” vaginal dryness and changes in sexual desire â” may persist or worsen after menopause unless they are treated. BosomPlus- Natural Breast Enhancement The following changes do not begin until some years after menopause. Many women do not experience them. A few find that they start earlier. Bleeding after menopause change of life Bleeding after menopause does not always mean cancer growth. But there is possibility of cancer in womb. Weight Gain After Menopause Increases Risk Gaining Weight after Menopause Seems to Increase Breast Cancer Risk in such as losing or gaining weight, can change your risk, compared to your risk Early Cardiac Changes After Menopause -- Schillaci et al. 32 (4 Early Cardiac Changes After Menopause. Giuseppe Schillaci; Paolo Verdecchia; Claudia Borgioni; Antonella Ciucci; ; Carlo Porcellati Early Cardiac Changes After Menopause -- Schillaci et al. 32 (4 Two matched groups of normotensive women, before and after menopause, were also studied to assess the physiological changes induced by menopause in Changes in Proinflammatory Cytokine Activity after Menopause Moreover, despite their potential influence on the extent of cytokine changes after menopause, the strength of each of these phenotypic variations as a High Blood Pressure After Menopause - The Effect of Hormones How does menopause affect heart health? How can you stay healthy after familiar menopause symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and appetite changes. Menopause and Sexual Desire - Is There Sex After Menopause? Is loss of sexual desire after menopause normal? who experiences sexual issues during menopause and that estrogen is not related to changes in sexual Post-menopause - WebMD Related Guide: Incontinence and Menopause, Sex After Menopause Medication and/or healthy lifestyle changes may reduce the risk of some of the conditions ThirdAge: Sex After Menopause Sexual relationships after menopause can indeed be satisfying if you are able to adapt to the changes that occur. A Note About Birth Control and Safe Sex LVH.org | HY 05/05: Vaginal Changes After Menopause âśAfter menopause, most women have noticeable changes in the vagina caused by the decrease in estrogen. The vaginal lining be-comes drier and thinner, Sexual Changes After Menopause Current research would seem to indicate that if you find that you are experiencing sexual difficulties after menopause that you should probably pursue Womens HealthCare Forum: Menopause Most of todayâ™s women will live 25 to 30 yearsâ”one third of their livesâ”after menopause. An understanding of the bodyâ™s changes during this phase of life |
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