This disorder affects woman at any early age and causes premature menopause and loss of fertility. Although there are several causes, many remain idiopathic or unknown. I am currently working in the Reproductive Genetics Department at Baylor College of Medicine where there has been ongoing research in this particular area. We are now recruiting patients for our study which involves looking for genetic links that may reveal some cause to the disorder. Many times there are no answers to why this occurs in women and this research will start to look for genetic causes that may give more knowledge to this disease that could render an earlier diagnosis and perhaps some form of treatment in the future.
Some patients get pregnant and then go into ovarian failure after delivery of a baby.
If these patients knew they were at high risk for the disorder during their early reproductive years, perhaps considering childbearing at an younger age would have avoided the inability to conceive at a later age. Some POF patients may rarely conceive after they are diagnosed, but the only successful treatment today for infertility is using donor eggs from another patient. If you would like to be involved in this study, please email me at the address below and I will send you the necessary information. All that is required is a few blood samples that can be sent to our center and a data form questionnaire that can also be completed in your home. Baylor will cover any expenses and all the genetic analysis will remain confidential and only discussed with you, the participant.