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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Menopausal Bleeding - Irregular Bleeding During Perimenopause and Irregular Menstruation During Perimenopause. Irregular bleeding is very common in women who are approaching menopause. In fact, it is the prime indicator Menopause During this transition period, called perimenopause, you may experience irregular menstrual cycles and unpredictable episodes of menstrual bleeding. UpToDate Patient information: Abnormal uterine bleeding Adolescents â” Many girls have episodes of irregular bleeding during the first few years after Causes of abnormal bleeding during menopause include: What can I do about irregular bleeding during perimenopause What can I do about irregular bleeding during perimenopause? from Harvard Womens Health Watch in Health provided by Find Articles. Womens HealthCare Forum: Menopause If you have spotting or bleeding while using estrogen creams, . The drop in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause can lead to depression. Healthy Viewpoints Hormonal Imbalance Irregular or heavy bleeding can be cased by an imbalance in Women who have uterine bleeding after menopause need to see their doctor BBC - Health - Ask the doctor - Post-menopausal bleeding What isn't normal is irregular bleeding - that is, bleeding between periods, on and off throughout the monthly cycle, after sex, or after the menopause has Vaginal bleeding: What's normal, what's not? - MayoClinic.com If you experience irregular vaginal bleeding, schedule an appointment with your physician and be certain to record when the bleeding occurs during the month Menopause Perimenopause Mature Sexuality Aging HRT Womens Health For example, low-dose birth control pills can correct irregular bleeding, Some women experience a decrease in sexual desire during perimenopause or Perimenopausal and menopausal bleeding What happens to periods during menopause? It is not unusual to have irregular bleeding for up to 6 months before menstrual periods stop completely. Is Heavy, Irregular Bleeding, or Bleeding After Sex Normal During irregular bleeding during perimenopause, it's important to understand that not all menstrual problems are caused by perimenopause or menopause. Bleeding Between Periods spotting metrorrhagia causes treatments Are you experiencing irregular bleeding or spotting between periods? as well as when bleeding occurs after menopause or when other symptoms are present. Irregular Menstrual Periods in Perimenopause and Menopause Many women see similarities between their menstrual cycles during their Some doctors use birth control pills to control the irregular bleeding and these Irregular periods - understanding the menstrual cycle Alternatively, she may have heavy episodes of bleeding every two to three months. Irregular periods are Am I in menopause if I have irregular periods? OBGYN.net The Significance of Bleeding after the Menopause Banter Bleeding after the menopause or "post-menopausal bleeding" ("PMB") can be defined as with irregular light spotting, staining or actual light bleeding. Menopause - Women's Health Queensland Wide During the peri-menopause, the ovaries' production of these hormones diminishes. Women should note, however, that irregular bleeding can sometimes be a Irregular periods in perimenopause During anovulatory cycles earlier this year I had cramps for about 2 weeks before a still it is definitely "irregular" to have post menopause bleeding. MENOPAUSE: Common Problems and Their Remedies Irregular Menstrual Cycles. A change in your menstrual pattern is usually the first sign of menopause. During the time referred to as perimenopause, Symptoms Of Menopause - Irregular Bleeding In general, irregular periods are very common during the perimenopause. Persistent irregular bleeding can be a tip to obtain further evaluation with |
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