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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Gaining Weight After Menopause Raises Breast Cancer Risk A woman who gains weight after the menopause raises her risk of developing breast cancer, while a woman who loses weight after the menopause lowers her risk Menopause and breast cancer risk. PIP: Age at menopause and type of menopause from hospital records of breast cancer patients were compared with similar information reported by a national The menopause Other breast problems related to HRT Women in the pre-menopause who take HRT often get breast pain and benign breast lumps, including cysts (fluid-filled Managing Menopause - Breast Health Menopause, women can take an active roll in ensuring breast health, by being informed and aware. Managing Menopause - Breast Cancer Menopause, dealing with breast cancer is challenge enough for any woman. Having to manage the menopause as well, simply adds to an already demanding Menopause The process of menopause tends to be gradual and as will be any of the physical changes which take place:. your skin and breasts may become less supple and Premature menopause side effect of breast cancer treatment This Yale-New Haven HealthLINK (December 2002) focuses on premature menopause caused by adjuvant chemotherapy or hormone therapy in women with breast Women's Health: Menopause, Ob/Gyn, and Breast Health - Yahoo! Health Find information on women's health including menstrual cycles, menopause, heart disease, vaginal infections, urinary tract infections, breast health, Menopause and Promoting Breast Health While most breast cancer occurs in women following the menopause, prevention should begin early in life. It is never too late or too early to engage in a Menopause and Your Breasts Let's talk about breasts! We need to be concerned with breast health. During and after menopause, breast health becomes an even greater concern. Menopause symptom: breast tenderness. During the menstrual cycle (just before period) and in the early stages of menopause (perimenopause) breasts tend to become tenderer. |
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