{"id":57086,"date":"2023-04-11T11:27:43","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T09:27:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/?p=57086"},"modified":"2023-06-05T11:40:43","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T09:40:43","slug":"premature-ovarian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/premature-ovarian\/","title":{"rendered":"PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE: SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Premature ovarian failure<\/strong> (also called premature ovarian failure or POI) is a reduction or total cessation of ovarian function before the age of 40.<\/p>\n<p>In 90% of cases, its origin is unknown, although it is sometimes linked to genetic factors or <strong>chromosomal abnormalities<\/strong> (Turner syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>Below we will look at other causes of premature ovarian failure, its symptoms and available treatments.<\/p>\n<h2>Causes of premature ovarian failure<\/h2>\n<p>Other causes of premature ovarian failure can be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Endometriosis<\/strong>. Endometriosis is a disease that can diminish ovarian reserve to the point of causing premature ovarian failure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Genetic predisposition<\/strong>: daughters of mothers with early menopause tend to have IOP more frequently.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Autoimmune disorders<\/strong> that disrupt normal ovarian function (e.g. hypothyroidism, lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Addison&#8217;s disease, etc.).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Toxic exposure<\/strong> (e.g. cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Infections<\/strong> (caused by herpes Zoster or cytomegalovirus).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Some gynaecological surgeries<\/strong> (e.g. surgery to treat endometriosis or to treat an ovarian cyst).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Symptoms and risk factors for premature ovarian failure<\/h2>\n<p>The symptoms of premature ovarian failure are little different from those of any other woman at menopause because they are mostly related to a<strong> decrease in oestrogen levels <\/strong>in the blood and an increase in follicle stimulating hormone.<\/p>\n<p>Among these generic symptoms, we can list:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Absence of menstruation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/en\/what-happens-when-a-woman-doesnt-ovulate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">amenorrhoea<\/a>) or irregular periods.<\/li>\n<li>Night sweats.<\/li>\n<li>Vaginal dryness.<\/li>\n<li>Hot flushes.<\/li>\n<li>Problems falling asleep.<\/li>\n<li>Insomnia.<\/li>\n<li>Irritability.<\/li>\n<li>Concentration problems.<\/li>\n<li>Lack of sexual desire.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Hormonal changes<\/strong> associated with <strong>decreased ovarian activity <\/strong>may also occasionally be linked to other conditions, such as <strong>dry eye syndrome<\/strong> (which can cause irritation and blurred vision), <strong>heart disease<\/strong> (early oestrogen loss may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks) and <strong>osteoporosis<\/strong> (oestrogen helps keep bones strong, and with a reduction in oestrogen, bone mass may weaken, increasing the likelihood of broken bones).<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, the sudden and unexpected absence of menstruation in younger women can affect their mood, causing anxiety and depression that should be treated by a specialist.<\/p>\n<p>Although not conclusive, some of the<strong> factors that may increase the risk of premature ovarian failure<\/strong> include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Age<\/strong>. This type of pathology is more common after the age of 35.<\/li>\n<li><strong>History<\/strong>. The risk of having POI is higher in women with a family history.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Diseases<\/strong>. Ovarian insufficiency is more common in women with diseases that affect the reproductive system, such as endometriosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Tests to diagnose ovarian failure<\/h2>\n<p>In the absence of menstruation or irregular periods, the first recommendation is to<strong> see a gynaecologist<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>A <strong>physical examination with this specialist<\/strong>, including a vaginal ultrasound, will be essential to analyse your menstrual cycle and the state of your ovaries.<\/p>\n<p>However, the<strong> most effective method of diagnosing ovarian failure<\/strong> is <strong>a blood test to assess the levels of the hormones FSH<\/strong>, prolactin and oestradiol.<\/p>\n<p>Low levels of oestradiol and gonadotrophins above 40 mIU\/mL are usually considered evidence of ovarian failure, although the test is usually repeated to confirm results.<\/p>\n<h2>Is there treatment for POI?<\/h2>\n<p>Premature ovarian failure in young women affects both their physical and mental health, and usually requires multidisciplinary treatment.<\/p>\n<p>One of the most common options to alleviate symptoms such as sweating or vaginal dryness is <strong>hormone replacement therapy<\/strong> using oestrogen and progesterone pills or patches.<\/p>\n<p>The latter is essential in women who have a uterus, as <strong>progesterone protects the endometrium from pre-cancerous cells<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Treatment of ovarian insufficiency also includes<strong> taking adequate calcium and vitamin D to prevent osteoporosis<\/strong> (dietary changes and supplements are often recommended), exercise and weight control to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.<\/p>\n<h2>Ovarian insufficiency and pregnancy: How does it affect?<\/h2>\n<p>The desire to have a child can be a determining factor in the mental health of women of reproductive age who are unexpectedly faced with a pathology such as this.<\/p>\n<p>Premature ovarian failure affects a woman&#8217;s fertility and is a problem that worries many patients who visit our clinic.<\/p>\n<p>The absence of ovulation and low oestrogen levels mean that many women with POI are <strong>unable to become pregnant or do not respond to <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/en\/ovarian-stimulation-phases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ovarian stimulation<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In any case, and although there is no treatment that fully restores fertility, it is true that <strong>with the appropriate assisted reproduction techniques some of these patients can achieve pregnancy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This happens because, in some cases, the alteration of ovarian function is not permanent, but intermittent, and at least one of their ovaries shows some activity.<\/p>\n<p>These women can ovulate spontaneously and become pregnant.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, some women with premature ovarian failure between 30 and 40 years of age can achieve good embryos through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/en\/treatment\/in-vitro-fertilization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IVF<\/a> with their own eggs if the ovarian failure is transient, their ovarian reserve is high and their karyotype test is normal (i.e. if there are no genetic or chromosomal alterations).<\/p>\n<p>In other cases, experts will recommend other techniques that offer very good results, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/en\/treatment\/egg-donation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>egg donation<\/strong><\/a>: that is, using a donor egg and fertilising it using the ICSI technique.<\/p>\n<h2>Your personalised assisted reproduction treatment with Juana Crespo<\/h2>\n<p>A <strong>personalised assisted reproduction treatment<\/strong> is always essential to achieve pregnancy, but it is especially important for women with premature ovarian failure or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.juanacrespo.es\/en\/low-ovarian-reserve-treatments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">low ovarian reserve<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>At <a href=\"http:\/\/juanacrespo.es\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Juana Crespo<\/a> we assess each case individually and offer our patients comprehensive advice throughout the whole process. Call us on 961 042 557 or write to us and book your first visit now.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Premature ovarian failure (also called premature ovarian failure or POI) is a reduction or total cessation of ovarian  [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":55459,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57086"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":57088,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57086\/revisions\/57088"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.old.juanacrespo.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}