Is premature ovarian failure the same as early menopause?
Hello,
Premature ovarian failure is sometimes referred to as premature menopause, but the two conditions are not exactly the same. Women with premature ovarian failure — also known as primary ovarian insufficiency — may have irregular or occasional periods for years and may even become pregnant. Women with premature menopause stop having periods and can’t become pregnant.
No, not exactly. Although the symptoms are often similar and POF was once thought to be a form of premature menopause, there are many differences in the two conditions. Normal menopause occurs as a result of aging, which results in follicle depletion and the onset of menopause with related symptoms. With POF, up to 50% of patients may ovulate once in any given year and 5-10% may become pregnant, leading to a theory that there is a follicular dysfunction rather than complete ovarian failure. In addition, POF is often associated with autoimmune disease, the most common being thyroid dysfunction (i.e., Hashimoto’s thyroiditis). These characteristics are not common to menopause with the cessation of ovarian function in the early fifties. Who suffers from premature ovarian failure? Although often considered a rare disorder, POF actually affects one percent of women by the age of 40. According to RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, POF occurs in one in 1,000 women between the ages
