Premature Ovarian Failure (Early Menopause)
Premature Ovarian Failure is basically an early menopause. Whilst most women will have their last period at around 50 years old, women suffering from Premature Ovarian Failure will enter the menopause before the age of 45.
The Basics
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Defined as the onset of menopause before the age of 45.
The term premature ovarian failure describes a stop in the normal functioning of the ovaries in a woman younger than age 45. In the UK, the average age of the menopause is 50 years with 1% of women menstruating after the age of 60 and 1% entering menopause before the age of 40. More Science... 
Some people also use the term primary ovarian insufficiency to describe this condition. It is also known as hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. |
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Mothers & daughters may enter menopause at the same age.
About 10 to 20 percent of women with premature ovarian failure have a family history of the condition. This finding suggests that some cases of premature ovarian failure can be genetic. More Science...
The mode of inheritance can be X-linked or autosomal, dominant or recessive and in most instances the causal mutation is unknown. [ x ] |
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Sudden irregular periods may be a symptom.
The most common first symptom of premature ovarian failure is having irregular periods. Initially, these are light or infrequent; and soon stop completely. More Science...
No science just yet... [ x ] |
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Menopause can be detected by use of a simple blood test.
When the ovaries begin to fail, the brain sends out more of the hormone FSH that stimulates the ovaries into working harder. High levels of FSH in the blood, may indicate a problem.
A single FSH level test with no menopausal symptoms is not conclusive as FSH levels can fluctuate. High levels may indicate resistant ovary syndrome rather than premature ovarian failure. More Science...
FSH levels above 30 iu/l (international units per litre of blood) are an indicator that the ovaries are failing and menopause is approaching or has happened. The usual level of FSH for a woman who is premenopausal is 10 iu/l or less. [ x ] |
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A spontaneous natural pregnancy is unlikely.
Women with premature ovarian failure are unlikely to get pregnant because their ovaries do not work correctly. There is currently no proven treatment to improve a woman’s ability to have a baby naturally if she has premature ovarian failure. Whilst, between 5 and 10 percent of women with premature ovarian failure become pregnant without fertility treatment, egg donation is more likely to achieve a successful pregnancy. More Science...
No science just yet... [ x ] |
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Fertility treatment includes egg donation IVF.
Egg donation IVF is the type of fertility treatment offered to most women who have suffered a premature menopause.
In women who still have their uterus (womb) it is possible to achieve pregnancy using eggs donated by an egg donor and fertilised in a test tube (in vitro fertilisation or IVF) with their partner’s sperm.
Children born as a result of this treatment are not biologically the mother's children but she is their legal mother and her name will appear on the birth certificates. More Science...
According to a study published in the American Journal of Perinatology, women over the age of 50 who achieve a viable pregnancy via donor-egg in vitro fertilization (D-IVF) have no greater incidence of adverse outcomes than younger women.
Dr. Daniel H. Kort, a postdoctoral fellow from the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, New York, and colleagues examined the safety profile of
pregnancies via IVF with donor eggs through a large, single-center case series and retrospective cohort analysis via a controlled study. The authors compared perinatal outcomes for women 50 years old
or older who achieved a viable pregnancy via D-IVF with the outcomes of women 42 years of age or younger who also achieved viable pregnancy via D-IVF. Their study is the largest single-center study
of its kind. |
Symptoms of Premature Ovarian Failure (Early Menopause)
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Irregular periods.
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Infertility.
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Hot flushes and night sweats.
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Insomnia/disrupted sleep.
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Palpitations.
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Weight gain (especially around waist and abdomen).
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Skin and hair changes (dryness, thinning).
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Headaches.
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Breast tenderness.
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Mood swings and irritability.
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Anxiety/panic attacks.
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Loss of self-esteem.
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Lowered libido.
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Difficulty concentrating and memory lapses.
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Fatigue/low energy levels.
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Joint/muscle pain.
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Vaginal dryness and urinary infections.
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