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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Missed Menstrual Period: The causes of skipped or late periods Learn the causes of missed menstrual periods (amenorrhea), which include pregnancy, and in the perimenopause (the time period preceding menopause). Breakthrough - Starting periods early or having a late menopause Women who started their periods before the age of 12 or went through the menopause after the age of 55 may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Menopause Archive - HealthBoards.com Message Boards All Natural Menopause help · Confusion - Night Sweats and Period · What do you do to ease hotflashes? How late do you have to be befor doing a pregnancy I'm 45, late period, cramps, low back pain, and not pregnant. What 45 is not young for menopause. I am 53 and am at the end of it. 1 week ago Sometimes my period is not only late but skips a few months. 40&better - About Menopause, Premenopause, Perimenopause Premenopause is the first phase of menopause covering a period of 5-10 years cycles are still regular with only an occasional skipped or late period. 10 Reasons Your Period is Late - What to do when you have a missed But is pregnancy the only reason for people to have a late period? Peri-menopause is the period of time where you are transitioning from reproductive Late Period - Menopause - MedHelp I have always known before my period was late that I was pregnant, being late with 3 neg. tests still mean I was pregnant or starting menopause. Periods During Menopause >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss I have been going through menopause for over 1 year and my period totally stopped. periods 2 months late..need i worry in this situation? Late Period age 49 Pregnancy or Menopause? >> Medical Questions I am 49 I had only one pregnancy 30 years ago. After that one, I had never been pregnant again. This last year I started to have irregular period, Menopause Forum - Late Period Menopause Forum - Late Period, Menopause information, health forums, medical questions, medical information, medical symptoms, medical dictionary. online health Questions > late menstrual cycle > Menstrual < content="AMENORRHEA;GENITALS;IRREGULAR PERIODS;LATE MENSTRUAL PERIOD;LATE MENSTRUAL PERIODS;LATE PERIODS;MENOPAUSE;MENSES;MENSTRUAL CYCLES;MENSTRUAL FLOW Irregular periods in perimenopause I believe it is the beginnings of menopause. Can't stop mother nature. . Period was way-late -it was day 40 or 42 of that cycle before it finally showed Perimenopause If your mother went through menopause in her late 40's and you're 34 it is most Until you are firmly in menopause, that is, no periods for one year, Approaching Menopause The menstrual period may occur irregularly and may be quite heavy. Other cycles may produce a light menstrual period. As perimenopause moves into menopause, Irregular periods - understanding the menstrual cycle In fact, the opposite is true - early menarche is associated with late menopause. In the same vein, women who had more pregnancies and thereby fewer periods Missed period - Menopause MedHelp's Ask-a-Doctor Menopause Forum. This forum is for questions and support regarding Stress management is another reason that periods can be late. Why is my period late and the pregnancy test negative? Article discusses the why your period may be late if you get a negative pregnancy test. In most women, premature menopause is a very remote possibility. InteliHealth: Many women experience light, skipped or late periods for several months Some women don't have any symptoms during menopause or only have a few symptoms. Menopause Menopause is the medical term used for the last menstrual period a woman will By the time most women have reached their late 40's the supply of eggs |
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