No abstract available.
Pregnancy* ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*

No abstract available.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*

No abstract available.
Antibodies* ; Female ; Humans ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine whether the FSH receptor mutation is present in infertile Korean patients with 46,XX premature ovarian failure (POF) women. METHODS: The variant of FSH receptor exon 10 in thirteen 46, XX idiopathic POF and 4 healthy fertile (control) women were studied. Missense mutation in Exon 10 was detected in POF patients and healthy fertile women by polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). RESULTS: The variant types of FSH receptor exon 10 (Thr307Ala; A919G) were found in healthy fertile (control) and POF women. CONCLUSIONS: This mutation may not be specific in POF patients and further study is needed in fertile (control) and POF women.
Exons* ; Female ; Humans ; Mutation, Missense ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency* ; Receptors, FSH*

This study was performed to determine whether the LHbeta -subunit gene missense mutation is present in Korean infertile patients with 46,XX POF women. The variants of LHbeta exon 2 (Trp 8Arg; TGG to CGG and Ile15Thr; ATC ti ACC) were studied in forty-four 46.XX idiopathic POF and 54 nonpregnant women. The LHbeta exon 2 variants were more frequent in POF patients (20.5%) than nonpregnant( 16.7%) women (p>0.05). POF patients with the variant was slightly higher than nonpregnant women with the variant.
Exons ; Female ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mutation, Missense ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*

Female ; Humans ; Consensus ; Menopause, Premature ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/therapy*

The ovarian reserve is necessary for female fertility and endocrine health. Commonly used cancer therapies diminish the ovarian reserve, thus, resulting in primary ovarian insufficiency, which clinically presents as infertility and endocrine dysfunction. Prepubertal children who have undergone cancer therapies often experience delayed puberty or cannot initiate puberty and require endocrine support to maintain a normal life. Thus, developing an effective intervention to prevent loss of the ovarian reserve is an unmet need for these cancer patients. The selection of adjuvant therapies to protect the ovarian reserve against cancer therapies underlies the mechanism of loss of primordial follicles (PFs). Several theories have been proposed to explain the loss of PFs. The “burn out” theory postulates that chemotherapeutic agents activate dormant PFs through an activation pathway. Another theory posits that chemotherapeutic agents destroy PFs through an “apoptotic pathway” due to high sensitivity to DNA damage. However, the mechanisms causing loss of the ovarian reserve remains largely speculative. Here, we review current literature in this area and consider the mechanisms of how gonadotoxic therapies deplete PFs in the ovarian reserve.
Adolescent ; Child ; DNA Damage ; Female ; Fertility ; Fertility Preservation ; Humans ; Infertility ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovarian Reserve ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency ; Puberty ; Puberty, Delayed

Primordial follicle activation is a process in which individual primordial follicles leave their dormant state and enter a growth phase. While existing hormone stimulation strategies targeted the growing follicles, the remaining dormant primordial follicles were ruled out from clinical use. Recently, in vitro activation (IVA), which is a method for controlling primordial follicle activation, has provided an innovative technology for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) patients. IVA was developed based on Hippo signaling and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) signaling modulation. With this method, dormant primordial follicles are activated to enter growth phase and developed into competent oocytes. IVA has been successfully applied in POI patients who only have a few remaining remnant primordial follicles in the ovary, and healthy pregnancies and deliveries have been reported. IVA may also provide a promising option for fertility preservation in cancer patients and prepubertal girls whose fertility preservation choices are limited to tissue cryopreservation. Here, we review the basic mechanisms, translational studies, and current clinical results for IVA. Limitations and further study requirements that could potentially optimize IVA for future use will also be discussed.
Cryopreservation ; Female ; Fertility Preservation ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Methods ; Oocytes ; Ovarian Follicle ; Ovary ; Phosphotransferases ; Pregnancy ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

OBJECTIVES: Recently, it was suggested that apoptosis may be a basic mechanism of follicular atretic process. If the POF(premature ovarian failure) results from an acceleration of the process of atresia of the oocytes causing premature deletion of stored oocytes, POF may be a good model for the apoptosis. Our objective is to determine the relation between the POF and apoptosis. METHODS: We performed laparoscopic ovarian biopsy in 17 patients with POF. We evaluated the ovaries from a patient with POF by conventional H-E stining and immunohistochemical staining for apoptosis related protein(bcl-2, bax, fas and fas-L). RESULTS: Atretic cystic follicles were seen 4 out of 17 patients, and corpora albicans indicating past ovulation were seen 9 out of 17 patients. Primordial follicles were seen in 3 out of 17 patients, however developing follicles were not seen in all patients. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Bax was expressed in the lining cells of the atretic cystic follicle and primordial follicle and mesothelial cells lining the surface of the ovary. Fas and Fas-L were expressed on the lining pregranulosa cells and primary oocyte of the primordial follicle in the ovary of the patient with premature ovarian failure. Bax were also expressed on the lining pregranulosa cell and oocyte of the premature ovarian failure. Bcl-2 was expressed in the lining cells of primordial follicles of the patients with POF. CONCLUSION: Apoptosis may be a basic mechanism of POF. Bax, fas and fas-L may play a role causing premature follicular depletion.
Acceleration ; Apoptosis* ; Biopsy ; Female ; Humans ; Oocytes ; Ovary* ; Ovulation ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency*

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a study of the effect of an organic solvent on the failure of ovarian function after exposure to 2-bromopropane for 7 years. METHODS: We conducted a study on 25 female workers in a manufactory who were exposed to 2-bromopropane in 1994. Some of them experienced premature ovarian failure. We have investigated their recoveries from ovarian function and checked LH, FSH, E2, BMD for 7 years of period. RESULTS: 16 among 25 workers experienced amenorrhea, but the rest of them did not report amenorrhea. In 10 out of the 16 amenorrhea patients, recovery from amenorrhea were seen, but 6 did not recover from amenorrhea. Through ovarian biopsy, it was observed in the amenorrhea patients that mature follicles were lost and only primordial follicles were present. Through HRT, gradual decrease in FSH and increase in E2. in the amenorrhea patients were found. Also, their BMD were decreased, but gradually increased with female hormone replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: The study confirms that the exposure to 2-bromopropane leads to the serious ovarian toxicity and ovarian failure as well. In such case, the failure of ovarian function, which is reversible change, can be recovered after long-term periods. A significant factor which affect ovarian failure and recovery from ovarian function is patient's age. In industrial environment, physical and psychological damage due to the use of and exposure to chemical materials will likely increase. Hence, more studies of industrial materials used in working conditions are needed.
Amenorrhea ; Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; Humans ; Menopause, Premature ; Primary Ovarian Insufficiency