Read more about this disease, some with Classification – Types – Signs and symptoms – Genetics – Pathophysiology – Diagnosis – Screening – Prevention – Treatment and management – Cures and much more, some including pictures and video when available.
Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), also known as primary ovarian insufficiency, is the loss of function of the ovaries before age 40.[1] A commonly cited triad for the diagnosis is amenorrhea, hypergonadotropinism, and hypoestrogenism.
It has been estimated that POF affects 1% of the population.[2] It affects approximately 1-4% of the female population in the U.S., which is about 150,000.[citation needed]
Normally, ovaries supply women with eggs until about age 51, the average age of natural menopause.
POF is not the same as a natural menopause, in that the dysfunction of the ovaries, loss of eggs, or removal of the ovaries at a young age is not a natural physiological occurrence.
Infertility is the result of this condition, and is the most discussed problem resulting from it, but there are additional health implications of the problem, and studies are ongoing. For example, osteoporosis or decreased bone density affects almost all women with POF due to an insufficiency of estrogen. There is also an increased risk of heart disease, hypothyroidism in the form of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Addison’s disease, and other auto-immune disorders.
Hormonally, POF is defined by abnormally low levels of estrogen and high levels of FSH, which demonstrate that the ovaries are no longer responding to circulating FSH by producing estrogen and developing fertile eggs. The ovaries will likely appear shriveled.
Age of onset can be as early as the teenage years but varies widely. If a girl never begins menstruation, it is called primary ovarian failure. The age of 40 was chosen as the cut-off point for a diagnosis of POF. This age was chosen somewhat arbitrarily, as all women’s ovaries decline in function over time, however an age needed to be chosen to distinguish usual menopause from the abnormal state of premature menopause. Premature ovarian failure however often has components to it that distinguish it from normal menopause.
By the age of 40, approximately one percent of women have POF.[3] Women suffering from POF usually experience menopausal symptoms, which are generally more severe than the symptoms found in older menopausal women.
[tubepress mode=’tag’, tagValue=’Premature ovarian failure’]