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 |
| how long is menopause |
|
How long does menopause last? - Blurtit Menopause is a landmark period in any woman's life. True, a woman's life continues beyond menopause, as usual. However, there is one major difference: 50+Health - Home/Health Topics/Menopause/Menopause - Long term effects Menopause - Long term effects. Oestrogen production during reproductive years has an important role in the protection against two major illnesses: How long menopause last Some women may get heavy bleeding before menopause. Some others may get heavy bleeding after menopause also. How Long will I be in Menopause? Brief and Straightforward Guide: How Long will I be in Menopause? WikiAnswers - How long does menopause last 'how long does menopause last? Am you in menopause? Do men have menopause? How long does Menopause last and what are the symptoms? How long does menopause How long does menopause last? : NPAN How long does menopause last? Menopause signals the end of your reproductive years. We are now seeing women enter menopause at an age far younger than their Ask an Expert: How long does menopause last? Question:. I am 49 soon to be 50 and I have been having all symptoms for the last 2 to 3 years. I was just wondering how long menopause last? Useful Information Site: How Long Does Menopause Last Because of all these uncomfortable serious symptoms one of the questions that many women ask is how long does menopause last? Menopause Not menstruating for an entire year after the age of 45 is the typical definition of menopause. No tests can predict when menopause will happen or how long How Long Does Menopause Last » Propeller Women â“ What All Women Want To Know: How Long Does Menopause Last? Menopause is quite a complex phase in a woman's life. It is the time in a woman's life The menopause Research into the menopause is relatively recent. One hundred years ago, when life expectancy was shorter, most women did not live long after the menopause Does Menopause Last Long? by Mike Jerry, Health, Other Health 'Does Menopause last long?' is often a question women ask their doctors. Women who are looking for menopause relief are always waiting for the end to come Answers to FAQs and Articles about Perimenopause and early When a person has a hysterectomy and is put in surgical menopause, how long do you go through menopause? I am 42, 43 next month and am on hormones. Facts About Menopause Article How long does menopause last, what are the signs and how to alleviate symptoms are some of the major questions that most women want answers to who are How long does menopause period last? >> Medical Questions, Weight Hi , Iâ™m just wondering how long can menopause period last? how long does menopause last? >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss How long does menopause usually last? I am taking hormones in the form of an oil that I put on, but I am concerned with the recent findings about breast 10 Myths Men Believe About Menopause -- ThirdAge How Long Does Menopause Last? HE SAYS Menopause lasts a few years. SHE SAYS Well, that's what you think. As it happens, menopause lasts for six to thirteen How long do Menopause problem symptoms last for? - Yahoo! Answers The hot flashes & sweating is awful. How lomg can The Menopause Time Of Life Developing positive attitudes toward menopause and aging is an important part of adjusting to life changes. As long as menopause is regarded as simply a |
| how long is menopause |
|
estrogen in menopause menopause blood exercise and menopause extreme menopause symptom |