Ovarian depletion syndrome is a condition in which a woman has a premature menopause. The ovaries cease to perform their functions, even if no menstrual and reproductive disorders have been observed before. Quite often, ovarian depletion syndrome is accompanied by vegetative-vascular disorders, infertility, secondary amenorrhea. The basis for the diagnosis of this disease is the data of drug and functional tests, laparoscopic ovarian biopsy, ultrasound, hormone level studies. Vitamin therapy, HRT and physiotherapy are used in the treatment. Women diagnosed with ovarian depletion syndrome are prescribed IVF using donor oocytes in order to become pregnant.
The content of the article:
What is it?
Causes of ovarian depletion syndrome
Symptoms of ovarian wasting syndrome
Diagnosis of depleted ovarian syndrome
Treatment of ovarian wasting syndrome
Prognosis and prevention of ovarian wasting syndrome
Ovarian wasting syndrome
What is it?
Ovarian depletion syndrome is characterized by the fact that reproductive and menstrual function fades in women under 40 years of age or even at an earlier age. In this regard, the syndrome of ovarian exhaustion is also called early ovarian insufficiency, premature menopause or premature menopause. It is quite normal if menopause occurs at the age of 45-50 years, but sometimes symptoms may begin to appear earlier. The main thing to pay attention to is that in women who faced premature menopause by this time, reproductive and menstrual function were normal. In general, this pathology occurs in 1.6% of women.
Thus, the depletion of the ovaries provokes a decrease in the number of follicles, they begin to develop more slowly, and this in turn leads to the disappearance of ovulation in a woman. Also, the syndrome of premature ovarian depletion affects the production of female hormones — progesterone and estrogen.
Causes of ovarian depletion syndrome
Ovarian depletion syndrome has two forms by its origin — primary and secondary. The primary or idiopathic form of the disease does not allow to identify the exact cause of its origin. In most cases, this is due to the fact that the genetic material was damaged. A patient can inherit such a disease. Sometimes various factors have their influence on the mother’s body, the patient is still in the womb at that time. The risk of ovarian depletion syndrome increases if a woman’s mother is pregnant:
she suffered from diseases such as mumps, rubella, flu;
was exposed to radioactive radiation;
took medications that could damage the fetus;
came into contact with chemicals.
Secondary ovarian depletion syndrome occurs due to a sharp decrease in follicle activity. The main reasons for this may be:
exposure to toxic chemicals;
fasting;
impact of vibration;
exposure to radioactive radiation;
taking chemotherapeutic drugs;
multiple ovulation stimulation (administration of special stimulating drugs during ART);
ovarian resection in tubal pregnancy, apoplexy, ovarian cysts.
It becomes clear that every woman can be diagnosed with ovarian depletion syndrome, the reasons for this are different. Modern medicine offers three main theories of the occurrence of ovarian depletion syndrome, the effects of iatrogenic factors, autoimmune disorders and chromosomal abnormalities. It is on the basis of them that all research is carried out.
Symptoms of ovarian wasting syndrome
In women who have been diagnosed with ovarian depletion syndrome, symptoms may begin to manifest at the age of 36-38 years, but there are cases when this happened at an earlier age. Gradually or suddenly, a woman begins to develop amenorrhea — the absence of menstruation, even with the previous regular cycle. In addition, there is oligomenorrhea, when menstruation occurs no more than once every 40 days. There are cases when menstruation happens once every six months. The cessation of menstruation is accompanied by:
a feeling of heat (this is especially evident in the first months, after stopping menstruation);
weakness;
sweating;
a headache;
rapid fatigue;
cardialgia;
irritability , etc .
Is ovarian exhaustion also characterized by a depressed emotional state? decreased performance, sleep disorders, poor mood and well-being. Hypoestrogenism provokes the appearance of progressive atrophic changes in the genitals and mammary gland, urogenital disorders, decreased bone density (osteoporosis) and the like. Quite often, such patients are found to have dry eye syndrome. This symptom is due to the fact that the depletion of the ovary affects far more than one tissue and provokes such diseases.
Diagnosis of depleted ovarian syndrome
To confirm or refute the diagnosis of “ovarian depletion syndrome”, a thorough diagnosis is carried out, which includes various methods. Each of them allows you to discover one or another side of the disease, determine the condition of the patient, the degree of the syndrome. Let’s look at the most effective methods of diagnosing ovarian wasting syndrome:
Ultrasound of the pelvic organs. Ultrasound allows you to see a decrease in the size of the ovaries and uterus, small follicles that enter the ovarian tissue;
Analysis of menstrual function. This takes into account the duration and regularity of the menstrual cycle, the timing of the first menstruation, the date of the last menstruation, etc.
Data from the patient’s life history. In the course of this study, doctors take into account past illnesses, injuries, surgical interventions, heredity, working conditions, everyday life, etc.
Analysis of obstetric and gynecological anamnesis. Doctors conduct a survey in order to find out the number of births, pregnancies, gynecological diseases and the like.
Laparoscopy. Laparoscopy provides the most information. A special device, a laparoscope, allows you to see how atrophied the ovarian tissue is, which plays a very important role for the treatment of a disease such as ovarian depletion syndrome. During laparoscopy, a biopsy is often performed, thanks to which it is possible to examine the tissue for examination under a microscope.
Also, the diagnosis of this disease includes various kinds of hormonal tests, hysterosalpingography, electroencephalogram, etc.
Treatment of ovarian wasting syndrome
If ovarian wasting syndrome has been diagnosed, treatment should be prompt and prompt. The fact is that ovarian exhaustion is a complex disorder, as a result of which menstrual function is disrupted (amenorrhea). Such a violation can cause a decrease in reproductive ability and lead to infertility.
Treatment for this disease is aimed at correcting vegetative-vascular conditions: general well-being, cardiovascular pathology, osteoporosis, urogenital disorders.
The best result is given by HRT therapy, which is designed to pharmacologically replace the lost hormonal function. If the patient is young, she may be prescribed novinet, mercilon, silest, marvelon, logest, regulon, at a more mature age — klimonorm, orgametril, klimen, femoston. These drugs are designed to restore the follicular composition in the ovaries, they can be administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly or taken orally. If the patient complains of genitourinary disorders, then she is prescribed local administration of estrogens, which can be in the form of ointments and candles.
Also, ovarian depletion syndrome is treated with the following:
physiotherapy procedures (electroanalgesia and electrophoresis);
massages of the cervical-collar zone;
Physical therapy;
acupuncture;
vitamin therapy (taking vitamins C, E, group B);
physical therapy;
taking sedatives;
hydrotherapy (circular shower and Charcot shower, carbon dioxide, iodine-bromine, pearl, coniferous, radon baths).
Timely and proper treatment of ovarian depletion allows you to prevent premature aging of a woman and give the desired pregnancy. Today, a lot of works have been written on this topic, which can be found on the Internet at the request of “premature ovarian exhaustion syndrome treatment”.
Prognosis and prevention of ovarian wasting syndrome
Patients diagnosed with ovarian depletion syndrome, who had amenorrhea, in 5-10% of cases can count on pregnancy and spontaneous restoration of ovulation. In most cases, IVF is prescribed, and pregnancy is carried out in special centers of reproductive medicine. It is with this disease that prevention is very important, which should include following all the doctor’s recommendations, careful use of hormonal drugs, prevention of viral diseases, etc.
