Average age of onset for POF (premature ovarian failure) is 27 years.
All women are at risk but few know about POF.
(PRWEB) September 15, 2003
Menopause is the loss of ovarian activity that on the average occurs to women about age 51. Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) is a loss of ovarian function in women under 40. The average age of onset for POF is 27 years.
It is estimated that 1% of women will have premature ovarian failure naturally, but it can also occur after chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and after reproductive surgeries such as hysterectomy and tubal ligation.
Premature menopause, early menopause, and POF are synonymous but the end of menstrual cycles and permanent loss of ovarian activity signifies menopause and POF may not be permanent. Some women with POF may intermittently produce estrogen and ovulate. This is why the term POF is preferred to premature or early menopause. Menopause means complete cessation of periods. In some cases, POF may be reversible.
The symptoms encountered by women with premature ovarian failure are the same experienced by women in menopause. Cycle changes, hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, depression, heart palpitations, short-term memory loss, fatigue, vaginal dryness, and loss of libido are common. The symptoms can be confusing and frustrating to young women as they often find that their symptoms interfere greatly with their daily lives but they do not associate their symptoms to being related to loss of ovarian function.
The condition of premature ovarian failure is sometimes mistaken by the medical community as being chronic fatigue (CFS), fibromyalgia, heart conditions, common depression, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and common allergies. It is important for women to be diagnosed in a timely manner as POF (being possibly a permanent loss of ovarian function) puts young women at higher risk of earlier and more severe cases of bone loss (osteoporosis) and heart disease.
A diagnosis of premature ovarian failure requires a hormone test to check for elevated FSH levels. www. Menopause-Test. com offers a FSH menopause test available on-line by mail order that women may find helpful. Still, an elevated FSH test alone cannot be considered absolute evidence of POF. Additional tests a physician may order includes thyroid function studies, thyroid antibodies, and serologic evaluation to rule-out hypoparathyroidism. Once diagnosed, the POF condition, symptoms, and risks can be managed in consultation with a health care physician.
As women do not expect that their fertility will end prematurely, upon being diagnosed feelings of shock, anger, depression, and loss are common. A national Premature Ovarian Failure Support Group offers local support meetings and holds a yearly conference. This years conference will be held October 10-12 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. This year’s conference is titled “The Faces of POF” and will include educational guest speakers and other events. More information is available at www. POFsupport. org, or call Jennifer Raaths at (847) 769-1730.
For more information about POF see:
Http://www. POFsupport. org (http://www. POFsupport. org)
For more information about FSH testing see:
Http://www. Menopause-Test. com (http://www. Menopause-Test. com)
