Causes of premature ovarian failure

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong On - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

Premature ovarian failure is the failure of the ovaries to function properly in young women, which can lead to infertility. Understanding the causes of premature ovarian failure will help women prevent and deal with its complications.

The ovaries are a woman's reproductive organ, helping to nourish a mature egg for release and conception. Like the cycle of any organ, the ovaries also come to a stage of aging. Often a woman begins to show signs of ovarian aging around the time of menopause. At that time, the ovaries can no longer function as normal, and the woman's body also begins to show signs such as hot flashes, hot flashes, night sweats, psychomotor agitation, difficulty concentrating, and emotional distress. at the same time, women also tend to be less interested in sex, vaginal dryness causes pain during sex, and loss of fertility. The decrease in the level of estrogen hormone in a woman's body also makes the menstrual cycle irregular and gradual, significantly affecting the health and life of women.
Premature ovarian failure is a phenomenon where the ovaries are aging before their age, stopping functioning in women after puberty and before the age of 40. When experiencing this condition, women will have the same symptoms as women with aging ovaries at menopause. This is followed by irregular menstrual cycles, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety and most dangerously, adverse effects on reproductive health, even infertility.

There are two groups of causes leading to this condition, namely spontaneous causes and subjective causes.
2.1. Spontaneous causes Menstrual disorders In women with menstrual disorders, the amount of estrogen hormone in the body is changed, easily leading to fat metabolism disorders, causing premature ovarian failure. If left for a long time, without timely treatment, it can lead to sudden cessation of menstruation or amenorrhea, premature ovarian failure leading to infertility.
Amenorrhea Sudden cessation of menstruation is also one of the causes of premature ovarian failure, often appearing in women of childbearing age. Common symptoms are: Women's menstrual periods become less and less frequent, and at the same time, menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes, irritability...

Immune factors: Autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune thyroiditis can be associated with premature ovarian failure.
2.2. Subjective causes Subjective causes of premature ovarian failure may be due to:
Abortion Abortion not only damages the uterus, but can also cause ovarian dysfunction, causing the ovaries to fail. able to produce normal, regular quality eggs. The amount of hormones produced can also be affected.
In addition, if continuous abortion or unsafe abortion, the possibility of ovarian infection or blocked fallopian tubes, complete removal of one ovary may occur, causing damage and aging of the ovaries. early eggs.
Reproductive tract infections Not keeping the "private area" clean, having unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections, herpes virus infections... can all be the cause of urinary tract infections. reproductive. If the infection is not treated in time, it can reduce the ability of the ovaries to function, causing premature ovarian failure in young women who have not yet reached menopause.
Due to daily living habits Excessive weight loss: Excessive weight loss causes the amount of fat inside the body to be reduced rapidly, affecting the amount of estrogen. From there, it causes menstrual disorders, even amenorrhea, premature ovarian failure. Harmful habits: Smoking, drinking alcohol is not only harmful to health but also affects reproductive health due to the decrease in sex hormones. Too much mental pressure: If women fall into a state of excessive stress, stress due to work or life, over time, it can cause autonomic dysfunction. This can affect the endocrine regulation in the body, reduce ovarian function, reduce the amount of estrogen hormone produced, thereby leading to premature ovarian failure.

Due to the influence of other diseases and treatment:
Ovulation: Ovulation stimulation is a measure to increase the possibility of pregnancy because the main effect of ovulation-stimulating drugs is to stimulate the ovaries to produce more follicles, cause the follicle to mature and burst, allowing the egg to be released and enter the fallopian tube to meet the sperm for fertilization. But if overstimulated, many follicles in the ovaries will grow together and cause fluid retention in the abdomen, affecting the internal organs in the abdomen. Even these complications can cause torsion (ovarian enlargement), ovarian bleeding... Premature ovarian failure due to disease treatment: Women who have to cut both sides or one side of the ovary may have can cause ovarian dysfunction, causing premature ovarian failure before the age of 40. Viral infections: Viruses such as: herpes simplex virus (HSV), mumps virus can cause inflammation of the ovaries or ovaries. autoimmune egg damage and premature ovarian failure.

Currently, there is no method to restore the normal function of the ovaries, however, early diagnosis can limit the consequences of the disease.
After examining, testing and being diagnosed with early ovarian failure, depending on each case, the doctor will suggest an appropriate treatment method for each patient.
Some remedies are used in the following cases:
Hormone replacement : To relieve symptoms like menopausal syndrome; Vasomotor disorders, sexual dysfunction, skin problems, mood, physical fatigue... and prevent the consequences of estrogen deficiency such as osteoporosis. Infertility and infertility: There are many treatment methods performed to restore ovarian function such as using Corticosteroids, Oestradiol, Clomiphene citrate,... Reproductive Center - Vinmec International General Hospital Times City is the leading modern center in Vietnam, applying a comprehensive examination and treatment process, combining both male and female obstetrics and gynecology to offer the optimal solution for each patient's case. only diagnose and treat premature ovarian failure as well as other gynecological diseases.

The center gathers a team of leading national and international experts in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, trained at leading centers in the world such as in the US, Singapore, Japan, Australia and birth support centers. famous products in the world. With a high level of expertise and extensive experience, Vinmec's team of experts is capable of synchronously and comprehensively deploying today's most advanced assisted reproductive techniques, helping to realize fulfill the parenting dream of hundreds of families across Vietnam.