 |
 |
 |
Other Health Topics:
-
Related Topics
-
Go Local
- Services and providers for Premature Ovarian Failure in the U.S.
-
National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Premature Ovarian Failure is the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Premature Ovarian Failure
Also called: Ovarian insufficiency, POF, Primary ovarian insufficiency
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is when a woman's ovaries stop working before she is 40. POF used to be called premature menopause. However, POF is not the same as menopause. Some women with POF still have occasional periods. Premature menopause is when periods stop before age of 40. This can be natural or caused by surgery, chemotherapy or radiation.
Missed periods are usually the first sign of POF. Later symptoms may be similar to those of natural menopause.
Most women with POF cannot get pregnant naturally. Fertility treatments help a few women; others use donor eggs to have children. There is no treatment that will restore normal ovarian function. However, many health care providers suggest taking hormones until age 50.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Start Here
-
Do I Have Premature Ovarian Failure?
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Also available in Spanish
-
Premature Ovarian Failure(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
| Basics | Learn More | Multimedia & Cool Tools |
|---|---|---|
|
||
| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
-
Overviews
- Premature Ovarian Failure(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
-
Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Estrogen Tests(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- LH (Luteinizing Hormone) Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
-
Related Issues
- Premature Ovarian Failure: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions(International Premature Ovarian Failure Association)
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) and Fragile X(National Fragile X Foundation)
-
Clinical Trials
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Ovarian Failure, Premature(National Institutes of Health)
-
ClinicalTrials.gov: Ovarian Failure, Premature
-
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Does autoimmunity play a role in the pathophysiology of premature...
- Article: Pten against premature ovarian failure; the importance of the maternal...
- Article: Irinotecan HCl, an anticancer topoisomerase I inhibitor, frequently induces ovarian...
- Premature Ovarian Failure -- see more articles
- Medical Encyclopedia Return to top
-
Directories
- AACE Physician Finder(American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists)
- ACOG's Physician Directory(American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
- Find an Endocrinologist(Hormone Foundation)
- Organizations Return to top
-
Teenagers
- Premature Ovarian Failure: A Guide for Teens(Children's Hospital Boston)
| Home | Health Topics | Drugs & Supplements | Encyclopedia | Dictionary | News | Directories | Other Resources | |
| Disclaimers | Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Quality Guidelines U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services |
Date last updated: 23 July 2008 Topic last reviewed: 14 June 2008 |