Premature ovarian failure is one of the main causes of female infertility, and when it comes to premature ovarian failure, we may not be unfamiliar with it, part of us will say that it’s just getting old early, which usually doesn’t happen to us. The incidence of premature ovarian failure is rising as the pressure of life increases, with a prevalence rate of 0.01% for those under 20, 0.1% for those between 20 and 30, and up to 1% for those between 30 and 40, with a rising trend among urban women. However, there is no clear age limit for male fertility decline, and after the age of 40, male spermatogonial stem cells continue to be renewed and can continue to produce sperm. The ovaries are not only a reproductive organ, but also an endocrine organ, which is essential for female growth and development and physical and mental health, so it is very important for women to understand their ovarian function correctly. 1. What are the ovaries for? The ovaries, under the action of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) produced by the pituitary gland, undergo follicular growth, maturation and discharge. They also secrete estrogen and progesterone, which act on the endometrium, causing it to shed and grow periodically, forming the menstrual cycle. It is because of the normal work of the ovaries that women exude charm, have regular ovulation and regular menstruation, and can successfully conceive. 2. What is premature ovarian failure? Premature ovarian failure is defined as menopause before the age of 40, accompanied by an increase in follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and a decrease in estrogen. 3.Why does premature ovarian failure occur? Radiotherapy or chemotherapy for tumors, surgical removal of the ovaries, chromosomal or genetic abnormalities, autoimmune related diseases, diabetes and thyroid disease may cause premature ovarian failure, in most cases, the cause is unknown. 4. Are there any symptoms of premature ovarian failure? Premature ovarian failure is also called early menopause, which means irregular menstrual cycles or menopause. Other symptoms are similar to those of menopausal women, such as hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, lack of concentration, poor sleep, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, etc. 5.How to diagnose premature ovarian failure? Since there is no follicular development in patients with premature ovarian failure, there is no estrogen and progesterone production, so they show up as menopause or very irregular menstruation. At the same time, the pituitary gland must produce more FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) in order for the follicles to develop, so the FSH value rises while estrogen is at a low level. With the above symptoms and sex hormone levels in the body, the disease can basically be diagnosed clearly. 6. Is premature ovarian failure equal to menopause? The age of menopause in Chinese women is usually around 50 years old, when there are no more available follicles in the ovaries, and this is irreversible. In contrast, very few women with premature ovarian failure, who are younger than 40 years old, can intermittently recover their ovarian function and even start menstruating or getting pregnant again. Therefore, the two types cannot be equated. 7. What is the impact of premature ovarian failure on women’s health? Estrogen is a protective hormone for women. Low estrogen may cause early aging, changes in body shape, osteoporosis, fractures, increased incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and other chronic diseases, as well as emotional ups and downs. 8. Is premature ovarian failure treatable? There are no studies that suggest a better way to treat premature ovarian failure, and many experts recommend the use of hormone replacement therapy to avoid or reduce the above-mentioned adverse effects. However, many people in China talk about hormones as if they will become fat and increase the risk of cancer. This is not true. Just as hypothyroid patients lack thyroxine in their bodies and need to be supplemented with oral eugenol, women lacking estrogen and progesterone in their bodies need to be supplemented with exogenous medications in order for their bodies to work properly. Regular physical checkups and the standardized and safe use of hormones under the professional guidance of a doctor will do more good than harm. 9.If I have premature ovarian failure, is it still possible to get pregnant? Women with premature ovarian failure who have been anovulatory for a long time or have occasional ovulation can hardly get pregnant on their own. Studies have found that about 5% of patients may regain ovulation and conceive spontaneously with treatment, but it is impossible to determine which percentage of patients. For patients without any ovarian function, the only option may be egg donation IVF treatment, however, this is limited to married women and the chances are very rare and unavailable. It is worth mentioning that the development of stem cell technology has brought a ray of hope for patients with premature ovarian failure. Through animal studies and basic research, scientists have found that, like adult male spermatogonial stem cells, newborn and adult female ovaries contain small numbers of egg stem cells (OSCs) that can proliferate stably in vitro and produce mature follicles. Although some questions remain to be addressed, such as whether it is safe and ethical to apply to humans and whether in vitro culture may cause epigenetic alterations, this provides a new therapeutic direction for restoring ovarian function in patients with premature ovarian failure.