Women with menstrual disorders, abortion, use of stimulants, and excessive weight loss cause premature ovarian failure.
The ovaries have the function of nurturing eggs and aging over time. Doctor Nguyen Phuc Hieu, Center for Reproductive Support, Tam Anh General Hospital Hanoi (IVF Tam Anh), said many women suffer from premature ovarian failure due to subjective and objective causes.
This condition causes symptoms of menopause such as pain or pressure in the lower abdomen, pain during sex, irregular menstruation, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, loss of fertility, rapid weight gain or loss. .. Ovarian aging can make women infertile, affecting women’s health and quality of life.
Dr. Hieu points out 10 causes of premature ovarian aging.
Menstrual disorders
Menstrual disorders are both a cause and a symptom of premature ovarian failure. Irregular menstruation causes women’s estrogen hormone levels to change, leading to endocrine disorders and premature ovarian aging. Sudden loss of menstruation can also be the cause.
Abortion
Repeated abortions or unsafe abortions cause ovarian dysfunction, causing the quantity and quality of eggs to decline. Women who have abortions are also at risk of ovarian infection, requiring the removal of one or all of this organ, and the risk of premature aging.
Improper hygiene of private areas, unsafe sex
Doctor Hieu said that improper hygiene of the private area due to lack of knowledge or unsafe sex can spread sexually transmitted diseases that can easily cause reproductive tract infections. Inflammation that spreads and is not treated promptly affects ovarian function, causing premature failure even when young or not yet at menopause.
Lose weight too fast
Many women want to have a slim and balanced body, so they try to exercise, diet, and lose weight too quickly in a short period of time. The sudden loss of fat in the body causes a loss of estrogen, leading to menstrual disorders. This long-term condition causes ovarian function to decline, premature aging, and infertility.
Overuse of egg stimulation
When using artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization to treat infertility, women often have to stimulate eggs. Hormonal drugs help the ovaries create more ovarian follicles, mature ovarian follicles and release eggs to increase the likelihood of conception. Overuse of ovarian stimulation can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, ovarian torsion, bleeding and increase the risk of premature aging.
Doctor Hieu said that at Tam Anh General Hospital’s Reproductive Support Center, the gentle ovarian stimulation regimen is safe and patient-friendly to help reduce the risk of overstimulation.
Use stimulants regularly
Drinking alcohol and using tobacco causes hormone imbalance and menstrual disorders. Long-term menstrual disorders are one of the causes of premature ovarian aging. Women should protect their reproductive health by limiting alcohol and tobacco use and building a healthy lifestyle.
IVF doctor Tam Anh advises a patient on reproductive health. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
Ovarian surgery
Surgical removal of one or all of the ovaries reduces the amount of estrogen in the body and affects the functioning of this organ. Doctors instruct patients on hormone replacement therapy after surgery to prevent the risk of premature deterioration.
Have an autoimmune disease
When suffering from autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, Addison’s disease, or thyroid disease, the immune system creates antibodies against normal tissues in the body. This can harm tissues and ovarian follicles.
Chromosomal abnormalities
Mosaic Turner syndrome and Fragile X syndrome occur due to abnormalities in the X sex chromosomes. Females usually have two X sex chromosomes.
Turner syndrome is where part or all of the second X sex chromosome is missing. The X chromosome in people with Fragile X syndrome is fragile and breaks easily. This abnormality causes the ovaries to underdevelop, easily leading to functional decline.
Chemicals and radiation
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer not only kill cancer cells but also affect healthy cells in the ovaries, causing premature aging. Exposure to certain chemicals also increases this risk in women.
“Premature ovarian failure often progresses silently, patients often discover it when it is too late, making it difficult to treat,” said Dr. Hieu.
Women with suspected signs or perceived risk should see a doctor early for examination, consultation and treatment to preserve reproductive function and improve quality of life. Men and women preparing to get married should have a premarital health check to detect abnormalities early, if any.
IVF is an effective method in treating infertility due to premature ovarian failure. Young, unmarried women who do not plan to have children should consider storing eggs to preserve reproductive function.