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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Red Hot Mamas, a leading menopause education & information The breast is responsive to a complex interplay of hormones. From adolescence through menopause, as hormones change, so does breast tissue. A Woman's Body Type and the Risk of Breast Cancer Although their ovaries no longer produce estrogen after menopause, their fat tissue can Changes in breast cancer survival after weight gains or losses Fibrocystic breast changes: lumps that are normal In general, some of the lumps become permanent and may or may not shrink after menopause. Breast cysts. Some women with fibrocystic changes develop cysts in Benign Breast Lumps Generally, these symptoms disappear with menopause. Some studies show that the chances of developing benign breast changes are higher for women who have Imaginis - Breast Anatomy and Physiology This section outlines basic information on breast composition, development, and typical changes from puberty to pregnancy to menopause. Main Menu: Fibrocystic Breast Disease and Perimenopause - G01 My first suggestion would be that if you have a problem with fibrocystic breast changes around the menopause, ask your doctor not to prescribe HRT Menopause and Your Breasts Your own breasts will even change throughout your life. Your monthly menstrual cycle, menopause, childbirth, breast feeding, age, weight changes, Menopause Perimenopause Mature Sexuality Aging HRT Womens Health free patient education brochure on menopause. read online or order a free copy. breast changes Variations in breast tenderness or fullness are common in Managing Menopause - Breast Health From adolescence to menopause, breast tissue is subject to hormone changes associated with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and lactation. Managing Menopause - Breast Cancer Menopause, dealing with breast cancer is challenge enough for any woman. Breast X-ray screening can show breast changes that are too small to be felt by BBC - Health - Womens health - Breast awareness Around the menopause lumps are common. These often turn out to be breast cysts (benign fluid-filled sacs). Breast tissue also changes with age. Breast Size, Appearance and Changes Overtime As a woman gets older, the topside of the breast tissue settles to a lower position, the skin stretches and the shape of the breast changes. After menopause Breast Changes - Nipple Dishcharge - Inflammation Mammary duct ectasia is a disease of women nearing menopause. A word of caution: If you find a lump or other change in your breast, don't use this MENOPAUSE: Common Problems and Their Remedies Breast Changes. If your breasts are sore throughout your cycle, and can not as yet be directly linked to hormonal changes during menopause. Understanding Breast Changes - National Cancer Institute Breast Changes During Your Lifetime That Are Not Cancer When you stop having periods (menopause), your hormone levels drop, and your breast tissue Understanding Breast Changes - National Cancer Institute Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for Women .. When you stop having periods (menopause), your hormone levels drop, and your breast tissue Understanding Benign Breast Changes Generally these disappear with menopause. Some studies show that the chances of developing benign breast changes are higher for a woman who has never had |
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