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 |
| menopause and anxiety |
|
anxiety and menopause >> Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy Ever since I entered menopause I have been suffering from anxiety. This is all new and strange to me considering I was always a very stable person. Menopause Anxiety The Interaction of Hormonal Shifts and Responses of Depression, Anxiety, and Sexual Dissatisfaction at Menopause by Caroline Pilcher Dott, Ph.D. Anxiety in perimenopause and menopause Most women experience a certain degree of anxiety in perimenopause and menopause; but it can be severe if not given the right attention. Managing Menopause - Depression and Anxiety Menopause, many theories have debated the link between hormones and depression. Menopause and Panic Attacks: HealthyPlace.com Anxiety and Panic The difference between panic attacks and menopause. For sufferers, survivors of anxiety disorders, panic disorders, phobias. Expert information, panic Menopause and Anxiety Controlling lifestyle stress and anxiety may help reduce the number and severity of hot flashes associated with menopause, according to doctors at the Anxiety at Menopause Insight Menopause Insight is a brilliant online resource for information about the condition known as menopause. Learn how to cope with the anxiety produced by Natural menopause anxiety symptom relief treatment Some steps for menopause anxiety treatment are common sense. Take time for yourself when you find yourself anxious and out of control. Exercise for worst menopause perimenopause anxiety symptoms While exercise is not a cure all for clinical anxiety disorders, it seems to be an important tool in combating the worst menopause symptom - anxiety. Menopause Symptoms.. anxiety, panic attacks "Anxiety and panic attacks are not a symptom of the menopause or of hormone fluctuations, they are the spin off affect of those conditions. Anxiety as menopause symptoms Anxiety can be a vicious circle: anxiety increases other menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and the occurrence of these symptoms and inability to solve Menopause Anxiety Learn about Menopause Anxiety, and search for other issues and information about coping with modern menopause. PMS - PMDD - Menopause - and Anxiety Disorders Anxiety and even panic attacks may be symptoms of a number of hormonal changes or problems in women, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Relieving Menopause Anxiety And Depression Menopause anxiety and depression are caused by a hormone imbalance. You feel as if you are on an emotional rollercoaster. You feel tense, sad, angry, Menopause and Anxiety Numerous transcripts and other areas of the site address the issue of menopause-related anxiety. The comprehensive Power Surge Search Engine will provide Menopause Experts, Ask The Experts about Bio-identical hormones Menopause ask the experts questions about menopause, bio-identical hormones, soy, midlife issues including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, weight, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Hormones and the Menopause Information about Hormones, Menopause, Anxiety and Panic Attacks. The root causes of anxiety Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. The anxiety may take the form of anxiety attacks (also called panic attacks), Menopause and Anxiety Anxiety in menopause sufferers results from hormonal imbalances. In the menstrual cycle, ovulation causes progesterone (which has soothing effects on the |
| menopause and anxiety |
|
anxiety attack menopause symptom extreme menopause peri symptom hormone level menopause information menopause |