Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) affects approximately 1% of women. It is a condition occurring in women under the age of 40, with 28 being the average age of onset. POF affects a woman's endocrine, reproductive and emotional health, being a devastating diagnosis for women of child bearing age who have not yet started their family. Some symptoms of POF include: lack of, or erratic periods, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, depression, bone pain, energy loss, loss of libido. I personally experience quite painful bouts of dull, but constant bone pain in my clavicle, hips and and lower arm bones, as well as night sweats from time to time.
Premature ovarian failure is a disease that puts women at a higher risk for heart disease and osteoporosis. It also causes infertility and is usually genetic, i.e. affecting sisters. Overall, only 5–10% of women with POF will become pregnant without the assistance of an egg donor and there are no means of determining the probability of natural pregnancy for any particular woman. Where a woman with POF does fall pregnant with her own egg, her chance of miscarriage is much higher than average. The higher rates of miscarriage experienced by women with POF is thought to be caused by lower egg quality.
POF is often confused with menopause due to the similarities between some of the symptoms and many medical practitioners (erroneously) draw no distinction between the two conditions. However, menopause is a naturally occuring event in healthy women that occurs, on average, at age 51, whereas POF is an illness in younger women. There are currently no cures or treatments for Premature Ovarian Failure, although it seems that research/advances in stem cell treatment and/or ovarian transplants may result in treatment for women in another 10 years or so. To read about my personal experience of being diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure: click here: http://lastoneofmykind.blogspot.com/p/ivf-rollercoaster-london-and-dublin.html
Premature ovarian failure is a disease that puts women at a higher risk for heart disease and osteoporosis. It also causes infertility and is usually genetic, i.e. affecting sisters. Overall, only 5–10% of women with POF will become pregnant without the assistance of an egg donor and there are no means of determining the probability of natural pregnancy for any particular woman. Where a woman with POF does fall pregnant with her own egg, her chance of miscarriage is much higher than average. The higher rates of miscarriage experienced by women with POF is thought to be caused by lower egg quality.
POF is often confused with menopause due to the similarities between some of the symptoms and many medical practitioners (erroneously) draw no distinction between the two conditions. However, menopause is a naturally occuring event in healthy women that occurs, on average, at age 51, whereas POF is an illness in younger women. There are currently no cures or treatments for Premature Ovarian Failure, although it seems that research/advances in stem cell treatment and/or ovarian transplants may result in treatment for women in another 10 years or so. To read about my personal experience of being diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure: click here: http://lastoneofmykind.blogspot.com/p/ivf-rollercoaster-london-and-dublin.html
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