How is POI diagnosed?
POI is diagnosed by performing certain blood tests and an analysis of a woman’s recent menstrual cycle history. A doctor will also request information regarding many of the common symptoms of the disease to aid in diagnosis. A very common first symptom of POI is having menstrual irregularities such as missed periods but there may be many others depending on the situation.
What kinds of tests are performed to help diagnose POI?
At the present, the following tests may be used by a physician to diagnose POI. This is not an all inclusive list.
Pregnancy test - Used to make sure the patient isn’t experiencing signs of POI due to an unexpected pregnancy.
Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test - This is a blood test to see if the levels of FSH are unusually high.
There are other tests that may be performed in conjunction with pregnancy tests and FSH, depending on the patient’s specific health situation. This is not an all inclusive list.
Genetic testing - Testing for premutation in the Fragile X gene and other genetic disorders.
Other blood tests - Measuring blood levels of prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol.
Why is early diagnosis of POI so critical to a woman’s health?
A delay in diagnosis increases a woman’s chances of developing serious health problems such as low bone density. In addition to the physical problems that accompany late diagnosis, there are many emotional struggles with late diagnosis that can have major adverse impacts in a woman’s life. Examples of such situations are not being able to function properly at work due to lack of sleep and having to visit various health specialists for unrelated problems because an accurate diagnosis of POI was never made.
Why does it take so long for a woman to get diagnosed on average?
POI is not well known in the medical community so it is very challenging for patients to encounter a doctor that has prior experience treating POI cases to be able to provide a proper diagnosis. By raising public awareness and working with the medical community, Rachel’s Well is helping to get more women diagnosed early.
Why is it that the diagnosis of POI can be devastating to a woman?
There are many reasons that receiving the news that a patient has POI can be emotionally troubling and difficult to deal with. One of the reasons includes the problem of dealing with infertility. Fertility is a very serious topic for a woman and her family, thus the shock of hearing that she has a very slim chance of getting pregnant (5-10%), can really be a painful emotion for her to manage.
Why is the way in which a woman with POI is informed of the diagnosis so important for a woman and her family?
All patients deserve respect. Letting a woman know over the phone that she has POI underestimates the signficant emotional turmoil that this disorder induces and is not respectful. Women should be given the diagnosis in person and given adequate time to ask questions and grasp the tough news.