We are still working to determine all causes of POI. Most of the time, we can't tell patients what caused POI for them. This is true for 90 per cent of our patients. However, a small percentage of women (10 per cent) have POI that is caused by something such as a genetic condition, previous medical treatments (chemotherapy or radiation therapy) or surgeries. It is also possible for a woman's ovaries to be affected by an underlying autoimmune disease or, in rare cases, infection.

You may be more likely to develop POI if you have a specific genetic condition, autoimmune disease or, rarely, certain infections. You may also be at risk if you have had previous surgery on your ovaries or received medical treatments that are harmful to ovaries such as certain types of chemotherapy. Finally, you may be more likely to develop POI if the condition runs in your family.

The most common symptom is loss of periods or progressively lighter periods that are further apart. Associated symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood changes, difficulty sleeping, decreased sexual desire, and difficulty conceiving. Some women do not have these associated symptoms.

This depends on your individual situation. In general, the incidence of spontaneous pregnancy in women with POI is 5-10 per cent. However, there currently is technology to enable women to carry and deliver a baby often through sophisticated infertility procedures. The POI Clinic works closely with the Mount Sinai Fertility Clinic

The hormone therapy is prescribed to supply the same hormones that were produced before the POI occurred. Therefore, this is replacement therapy with the same effects as a woman’s own hormones. Not taking hormone therapy in women under the age of 45 with menopause has been shown to increase early heart disease and many other of the diseases of ageing. There is no evidence that taking hormone therapy increases the risk of cancer in this age group.