BACKGROUND Clinically, premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as unexplained amenorrhoea (> 6 months) with a high FSH level (> 40 IU) before the age of 40 years. POF is a heterogeneous genetic disease with unknown aetiology. Inhibin and activin regulate the FSH level by their opposing actions and thus have been considered as strong candidate genes in the aetiology of POF. METHODS We have ...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of mutations in the coding region of the QM gene and fragile X in patients with premature ovarian failure and gonadal dysgenesis. METHODS After approval by the local Ethics Committee, blood samples, in EDTA, of 100 normally ovulating women, 23 with premature ovarian failure (POF) and 14 with gonadal dysgenesis 46XX, aged less than 4...

Premature ovarian failure is defined as a primary ovarian defect characterized by absent menarche (primary amenorrhea) or premature depletion of ovarian follicles/arrested folliculogenesis before the age of 40 years (secondary amenorrhea). Hormonally, POF is defined by abnormally low levels of estrogen and high levels of FSH, which demonstrate that the ovaries are no longer responding to circul...

Premature ovarian failure is defined as a primary ovarian defect characterized by absent menarche (primary amenorrhea) or premature depletion of ovarian follicles/arrested folliculogenesis before the age of 40 years (secondary amenorrhea). Hormonally, POF is defined by abnormally low levels of estrogen and high levels of FSH, which demonstrate that the ovaries are no longer responding to circul...

BACKGROUND Premature ovarian failure (POF) is an ovarian defect characterized by the premature depletion of ovarian follicles before the age of 40, representing one major cause of female infertility. Mutations in bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) have been shown to be associated with POF. METHODS Genomic DNA was isolated from 52 idiopathic premat...

The development of new techniques for the detection of ovarian antibodies has challenged early concepts about the rarity of ovarian antibodies in idiopathic premature ovarian failure (POF), but few attempts have been made to compare results between assays. We have sought to define the prevalence of ovarian autoimmunity in a group of 30 idiopathic POF patients compared to a group of 12 patients ...

Premature ovarian failure (POF) appears to be a complex disease entity with several underlying etiopathogenic contributions including the possibility of multiple distinctly different autoimmune mechanisms, in which inflammatory autoimmunity targeted to ovarian-specific germline antigens (e.g., zona pellucida proteins or Mater) or differentiation/regulatory factors (e.g. inhibin-alpha) were rega...

background: premature ovarian failure (pof) is a disorder of multi causal etiology. autoimmunity has been proposed as a mechanism for some cases of ovarian follicle dysfunction which is evident in pof. the aim of this study was to identify the level of auto-antibodies in pof and familial pof patients. materials and methods: in this study, auto-antibodies including anti-ovarian antibody (aoa), a...

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a heterogeneous disorder, defined as menopause under age 40 years. The prevalence is 1%; POF before age 30 years is much less common. Chromosomal causes have long been recognized - visible deletions of the X chromosome, 45,X/46,XX mosaicism, and autosomal rearrangements (balanced translocations). Toxins or iatrogenic causes (e.g., chemotherapeutic agents) are ...