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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Approaching Menopause For some women, the perimenopausal time can be more troubling than actual menopause. Hormone Changes During Perimenopause. A womanâ™s menstrual cycle is Perimenopause (premenopause) Perimenopause is the phase before menopause actually takes place, when ovarian Most premenopausal women experience changes in their menstrual cycle. Menopause and Perimenopause - Yahoo! Health Other conditions can cause changes in the menstrual cycle or symptoms resembling perimenopause and postmenopause. Examples include pregnancy, a significant Irregular Menstrual Periods in Perimenopause and Menopause Irregular periods are a common symptom of perimenopause, the time before menopause itself. You may experience a change in the menstrual cycle, Irregular periods - understanding the menstrual cycle Click here to learn more about irregular periods in perimenopause. a family holiday or a week with the in-laws will play havoc with a menstrual cycle. Perimenopause Perimenopause refers to the transitional period of time before menstruation actually stops, which is marked by changes in the menstrual cycle, Menstruation Basics - Periods and the Menstrual Cycle from Puberty A look at what menstruation is and how the monthly menstrual cycle occurs in Includes information about puberty, the stages of the menstrual cycle, Symptoms of Perimenopause Though you may still be fertile, more than three-quarters of all perimenopausal women experience changes in their menstrual cycle. Diaries & Handouts | CeMCOR Those of us at the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research integrate scientific and practical information for the benefit and empowerment of women Menopause Perimenopause Mature Sexuality Aging HRT Womens Health During the perimenopause you may experience changes in your menstrual cycle and breasts. You may also experience occasional hot flashes and night sweats. Normal Menstrual Cycle-Perimenopausal Menstrual Cycle Topic Overview, Health Tools, Normal Menstrual Cycle, Menarche and the Teenage Menstrual Cycle, Perimenopausal Menstrual Cycle, Managing Menstrual Cycle |
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