Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure (POF), occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop functioning normally before age 40 and it affects about 1% of women. Many women naturally experience reduced fertility when they are about 40 years old. They may start getting irregular menstrual periods.
Known causes of premature ovarian failure can be classified as genetic, autoimmune, some viral and microbial infections, iatrogenic (after chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) and environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke.
The most important treatment for patients with premature ovarian failure is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The hormone of estrogen in the body of women prevents osteoporosis and hot flashes in them. The added progesterone protects the lining of the uterus (endometrium) from precancerous changes that can be caused by taking estrogen alone. In this treatment procedure, the gynecologist prescribes estrogen along with progesterone, since taking hormones together can cause menstruation. One of the side effects of hormone therapy in the treatment of premature ovarian failure is weight gain.
On the other hand, estrogen has a favorable effect on the bone content and the appearance of the face (skin) of women, and also reduces cardiovascular complications. These patients can use the hormone progesterone up to the age of 50 without fear of breast cancer and other cancers.