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 Articles When a woman reaches menopause, her period stops and her body stops making certain hormones. This channel on the eMedTV Web site contains a number of Menopause - Treatments for Symptoms - Health - W Network Now that youâ™re sure you have entered your menopause years, Sarsaparilla - for general menopause symptoms. W articles. Kicking PMS · Menopause Post Menopause Symptoms Article Post menopause symptoms are the last part of a four stage process that brings a women's reproductive cycle to a permanent end in her life. Menopause - error Copyright © 2007, The North American Menopause Society. All rights reserved. Published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Menopause - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment for the Hormonal Learn about menopause - causes, signs, symptoms and treatment for this hormonal home > topics a-z list > menopause article. » Healthcare Professionals eMedicine - Menopause : Article by Diana Curran, MD, FACOG Menopause - Menopause is a universal and irreversible part of the overall aging process involving a woman's reproductive system, after which she no longer Menopause symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment on MedicineNet.com Source:WebMD Medical Reference from The Cleveland Clinic; Read 298 more Menopause related articles Latest Medical News Exercise Eases Some Menopause Symptoms - Exercise and Fitness Tips center > exercise & fitness az list > exercise eases some menopause symptoms article Next Article: Health Tip: Athletes Should Wear a Mouth Guard » Menopause Naturally Articles Articles at Suite101 relating to Gentle solutions for body, mind, and spirit, alternative approaches, herbal remedies, and wise woman support. Articles about Menopause - WrongDiagnosis.com The following medical articles may have information related to Menopause:. Menopause: NWHIC · Women Hold Up Half the Sky: NIMH · HIV, AIDS, and Older People Menopause Newsletters - POWER SURGE Menopause Articles, FAQ's Menopause newsletters, articles, women's health issues. Menopause Articles From Your About Guides Joint Guide efforts bring abundant resouces through-out About.com community on the topic of menopause. Menopause Articles A menopause solution can be as varied as those experiencing menopause itself. In this brief article, we will discuss menopause and some of the solutions Women's Web --- Menopause: Articles on menopause Learn about perimenopause, menopause and post-menopause, as well as the link between menopause and heart disease. This article discusses symptoms of CWC - Menopause Article Menopause is the point in a womanâ™s life when there is permanent cessation of menstrual periods. This is a natural event that occurs following the loss of Health Articles And News Menopause Articles & News Menopause articles from the nations health experts. Women's Health, Menopause - Articles An index of Menopause Articles for the Women's Health guide site. menopause articles, information and news Weight gain, particularly after menopause, is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women, according to an article in the July 12 issue of |
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