Study Finds Menopause Symptoms Can Be Predicted

The 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

flash hot in menopause
wildbleu
Sleepwear and Sheets to relieve discomfort of night sweats and hot flashes caused by menopause or other hormonal changes. Wildbleuâ„¢ Hot flash

For Women - Natural Menopause and Hot Flash Relief
Presenting For Women, the Natural Nutritional Support System for Women: a safe and natural alternative to drugs and prescription hormones in the treatment

WebMD Menopause Center - Find menopause information including
Find in-depth menopause information including hot flashes, night sweats, http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/ to download the latest Flash player

MACA - Menopause Hot Flash Relief
MACA Peruvian herb menopause relief for hot flashes & libido booster - the premier women's adaptogen and regulator for hormone balance.

Night Sweat Relief, Hot Flash, Hot Flashes Menopause
Black Ice Personal Cooling System - Menopause relief. Hot Flash Relief. Hot Flashes Relief. Night Sweat Relief.

Hot Flashes (Menopause-like Symptoms, Flushing)
Hot Flashes (Menopause-like Symptoms, Flushing) There are some non-drug treatments to help decrease hot flash symptoms and to prevent triggering them.

Pharmalot » Hot News Flash: Wyeth Menopause Pill Works
In the company-funded study presented at the North American Menopause Society, Aprelaâ™s 80 percent reduction in hot flashes after 12 weeks compared with 51

Symptoms of Menopause: Hot Flashes
The amount of sweat that your body produces during a hot flash will vary depending on your stage of menopause, your diet, and any medications that you are

The Sacramento Bee -- sacbee.com -- Hot flash: Menopause is cool
An online information service of The Sacramento Bee -- 24-hour local, state, national and world news, plus politics, sports, business, lifestyle and

Symptoms of Menopause - RealAge Menopause Center
As menopause draws nearer, increasing amounts of hormones are released, causing increasingly severe severe hot flash symptoms, which can last up to five

Is The Heat On? Maybe You Are Having A Hot Flash Menopause
Hot flashes are the body's reaction to a decreased supply of estrogen. Typically this occurs when a women approaches menopause.

No More Hot Flashes 10 Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes
Hot flash relief in 10 simple steps! Discover 10 ways to find relief from the occurrence and severity of hot flashes and night sweats during menopause

Hot Flashes and Hot Flash Symptoms and Treatment on MedicineNet.com
Hot flashes are experienced by many women, but not all women undergoing menopause experience hot flashes. A hot flash is a feeling of warmth that spreads

All About Hot Flashes
The best way to beat a hot flash is naturally. Hot flashes have a lot to do with whether you're suffering from a "hot" menopause or a "cold" menopause.

Best Hot Flashes Menopause Product
Feel Normal Again When You Use Hot Flash Freedom For Support for Problems Associated with Hot Flashes and Night Sweats. It's not just a promise.

Hot Flash, Hot Flashes - Menopause and What's a Hot Flash?
What Is A Hot Flash? Read "What Can I Do About Hot Flashes And Night Sweats?" Considered by many to be the hallmark of menopause, hot flashes are the most

Hot flashes, Night Sweats: What Can I Do About Hot Flashes and
Women experience a variety of symptoms of menopause, but the hot flash is the one most discussed. During menopause the body produces less estrogen and

Hot flashes: Minimize discomfort during menopause - MayoClinic.com
When you're having a hot flash, you might experience: Hot flashes are common during perimenopause â” the period of time leading up to menopause â” and

Hot Flashes Menopause
Hot flashes, or flushes, are the most common symptom of menopause, affecting more than 60 percent of menopausal women in the U.S. A hot flash is a sudden


flash hot in menopause
early menopause and pregnancy
discussing doctor perimenopause
brisbane menopause musical
fhs menopause