What is ovarian failure?
Mummy Your situation might be “Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)” and is defined as the cessation of ovarian function prior to the age of 40 years It is diagnosed in women under age 40 when ovarian function ceases, resulting in an end or pause in menstruation, a decline in the production of Estrogen (hormone) and eggs, […]
Mummy
Your situation might be “Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)” and is defined as the cessation of ovarian function prior to the age of 40 years It is diagnosed in women under age 40 when ovarian function ceases, resulting in an end or pause in menstruation, a decline in the production of Estrogen (hormone) and eggs, resulting in infertility.
Women may experience infertility, hot flashes, the absence of menses, night sweats, irritability, moodiness, sleep disturbance, decreased libido, hair coarseness, and vaginal dryness. POF also manifests as intermittent ovarian failure, where the woman may miss her menstrual periods several consecutive months, and then have her menstrual period return spontaneously.
Early indications of premature ovarian failure include menstrual cycles less than 21 days in length, very infrequent or light menstrual periods, and the absence or cessation of menstruation.
Some causes of premature ovarian failure?
Unfortunately, in most cases, the cause is idiopathic (unknown), Genetic, Environmental, and Autoimmune etiologies have been associated with POF. It is estimated that up to 40% of POF can be attributed to genetic causes, as the disorder has a tendency to be familial. Known environmental causes include pelvic surgery, cancer therapy such as chemotherapy and radiation, and viral oophoritis, (viral inflammation of the ovary) all which affect ovarian function and could contribute to POF. Autoimmunity has also been shown to play a role, with the most common cause thought to be Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.
How is POF treated?
There are a variety of hormone replacement regimens available that can be used along with different routes of administration based on patient preference and the response to therapy. These formulations contain Estrogen, Progesterone, and sometimes Androgens in varied doses. About 5-10% of POF patients become pregnant after the diagnosis, many times after initiating hormone replacement therapy.
Information on male contraception
If I want to engage in male contraception, what are my options?
Yakubi X
Contraception is normally aimed at helping women prevent unwanted pregnancy. Not much has been done in the past to develop products that men can use for pregnancy prevention. However, efforts are geared towards having a pill or injection for men.
Below are some of the options.
1. Condoms are the most common form of male contraception. If condom is used correctly, regularly and consistency, it has over 90% chance of preventing pregnancy.
2. A vasectomy is typically an in-patient surgical procedure that prevents sperm from traveling out of the testes. The procedure provides a permanent solution for protection against pregnancy. A vasectomy is about 99 percent effective as a form of contraception. A vasectomy is not an immediate solution for pregnancy prevention. Sperm count decreases gradually instead of all at once, so another form of birth control should be used for at least three months following the procedure. After the three-month period, a doctor tests a sample of semen to make sure that no sperm is present before you can rely on it for contraception.
3. Coitus Interruptus – Withdrawal of penis just before a man ejaculates semen inside a woman’s vagina during sexual intercourse. The failure rate is very high.
4. Male Contraceptive Pill. A male contraceptive pill isn’t available on the market yet, but it’s in the works.
5. Testosterone-Based Injections. Not yet also in the market. Contraceptive injections are also being tested.
HEALTH INTERACTIVE COLUMN @ 11 YEARS
Dear Readers, with gratitude to Almighty God, our column this month (October) marks its 11th Year Anniversary. It started in October 2002. As a tradition, we normally dedicate a week to publish readers’ views and comments about the column and answer, questions related to our work. We will God willing, publish that on Tuesday, 5th November 2013. Send your comments via our emails.