Guest blogger Andrea King Collier is a freelance health and medical journalist from Lansing, Michigan.
Researchers across the globe push to find genetic predictors of early menopause.
Recent research from the internationally focused Breakthrough Generations Study published in Human Molecular Genetics, has identified four genes that may be predictors of early onset menopause. Women who are armed with this information may be able to make more informed decisions on reproductive and other health issues. The genetic test, done through a simple blood draw, has the potential to predict when a woman will start menopause, even providing insights for women in their 20s.
“More women are putting off pregnancy decisions and even waiting until their 40s,” says Jennifer Wu, M.D. OB/GYN from Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. According to Wu, if a woman taking the test finds out that she is more likely to go through menopause at 45, she might not want to wait until her early 40s to start trying to become pregnant, since women typically become infertile about 10 years before menopause.
Yet, others suggest that the data from the study conducted in the U.K., is too new and the sample of the study is too small to really shape family planning. Steven Goldstein, M.D., president of the North American Menopause Society says he wants to see more data. “It would be helpful to do a larger trial, and see if it pans out. How accurate does it turn out to be?”
The Breakthrough Generations Study’s primary focus has been to look into the comprehensive causes of breast cancer. Early menopause has been linked with a reduction in breast cancer risks, but it also paints a picture of the risks of other health care issues including, heart disease, osteoporosis and a steady decline in fertility.
CONNECT THE DOTS
For more information on genetic testing for early menopause, go to the Breatkthrough Generations website. For guidance on the ages and stages of menopause, go to the North American Menopause Society’s website. The National Institutes of Health also has information on menopause.
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