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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Menopause and birth control - Menopause - MedHelp This is a discussion on MedHelp about Menopause and birth control. Community members of MedHelp provide help, support, guidance and discussion around the Menopause Forum - Menopause And Birth Control? Menopause Forum - Menopause And Birth Control?, Menopause information, health forums, medical questions, medical information, medical symptoms, Menopause and Birth Control Menopause and the use of low dose birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. Birth Control Pills - Menopause This articles explains the birth control pill and reviews some of the changes in contraceptive technology. - Birth Control Pills - Menopause is a personally Contraception Online: Contraception and Reproductive Health Info For more information about birth control options in the perimenopause, speak with your North American Menopause Society 1-800-774-5342 www.menopause.org WomanLinks.com - Birth Control And Perimenopause: When Do I Stop In the past, doctors would randomly choose when to stop you on birth control and when to begin you on hormone replacement therapy for menopause. ScienceDaily: Birth Control News Read about birth control options, their effectiveness, Birth Control · Menopause BIrth Control Pill That Stops Periods Approved By FDA Birth control pill FAQ: From menstruation to menopause — and Hormonal activity in your body differs markedly before and after menopause. The birth control pill regulates hormones that your ovaries are already Birth Control: Is It Necessary during Menopause? Do I still need to use birth control? When is it safe to stop? --Jet. Answer :. Technically, menopause is lack of periods for 12 months. Birth Control for Menopausal Women - Menopause - Susun Weed Birth control, never simple or easy, is complicated incredibly by the erratic ovulations and unpatterned menses of the premenopausal and menopausal years. Menopause FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on MedicineNet.com. Now That I've Begun Menopause, Do I Still Have to be Concerned About Birth Control? You will know for sure that you have experienced menopause when you have Ask The Experts: Birth Control During Menopause by MedicineNet.com Read about birth control concerns during menopause, or perimenopause. Seniority: Birth control pills may help mask menopause symptoms All women can expect to enter menopause sooner or later, but women taking birth control pills may not notice, at least for a while. Women's Health Issues - Women's Health Questions and Answers dieting, nutrition, heart health, and sexuality, and birth control issues. and her psychological feelings of exposure and control over her own body. Menopause Symptoms, What is it? When does it happen? Power Surge To best understand what occurs at menopause, it is helpful to know about the . Talk to your health care provider about your options for birth control. Menopause and Birth Control The oral contraceptive pill may prolong the occurrence of regular menstrual periods, but once you are frankly postmenopausal, your periods will stop whether Menopause: Pregnancy and Birth Control At look at how likely women are to get pregnant as they approach menopause. Includes information on birth control. Birth control pill FAQ: Benefits, risks and choices - MayoClinic.com How are pills that prevent your period different from regular birth control pills? Will taking the pill prevent menopause? Here are the answers. Very-Low-Dose Birth Control Pills for Perimenopausal Women If the FSH measurement is over 30, you've probably entered menopause. Talk to your doctor to see if very-low-dose birth control pills might be a good idea |
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