Premature ovarian failure, or POF, is a terrible condition that severely affects a woman’s chances of getting pregnant. Women affected by this condition can no longer conceive because they no longer have periods. This sounds much like premature menopause; however, POF is different. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
Premature menopause (menopause before the age of 40) means that the woman will never have a period and she will not produce any eggs that may help her conceive. Women affected by POF, on the other hand, may have their period after months with no period, and then after another few months of having a regular cycle, their period will stop again for an undetermined period of time.
Premature ovarian failure happens when your ovaries are no longer working properly for some reason (e.g. loss or dysfunction of the egg follicles). POF affects many young women, including teenagers. Currently, the cause of this condition remains unknown, but it is thought that it may be caused by chemotherapy, radiation treatment or chromosomal abnormalities.
Women who have low amounts of follicles or develop abnormal autoimmune responses that determine their organism to attack the follicles that are developing can get affected by POF. Also, there are some reasons to believe that this may be a genetic condition.
Not only will premature ovarian failure affect your fertility, but it may also result in other diseases, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, adrenal problems, thyroid dysfunctions or heart diseases. When you miss a period, this is a sign that something is not right, so you should check to see what it is. POF is usually diagnosed after many months with no periods.
Unfortunately, only 5% to 10% of the women diagnosed with this condition manage to get pregnant after fertility treatments. However, resorting to unproven fertility treatments as a desperate attempt to get pregnant may compromise fertility even more. Instead, in vitro fertilization with a donor egg may be the alternative you are looking for since it has proven to be successful in some women diagnosed with POF.
Treatment for premature ovarian failure includes hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This may help restore the proper levels of hormones that women should normally have. It is possible that restoring the natural levels of progesterone and estrogen will help women diagnosed with POF have regular periods again. Also, this therapy will lower your chances to get affected by osteoporosis. HRT is better than hormone pills because it allows for a constant release of hormones into the body.
Research continues in order to discover better treatments for women affected by POF. You should stay informed and discuss your options and your chances of getting pregnant, with both your partner and your doctor.
Comments