Premature ovarian failure (POF) 

The termination of the menstrual periods before the age of 40 is defined as premature ovarian failure. This disorder occurs in 1 in 1.000 women aged 15 to 29 and 1 in 100 women aged 30 to 39. The mean age of women with premature ovarian failure is 27 years, whereas 4% of these women have POF in their family medical history. Premature ovarian failure may happen suddenly in one or two months, or gradually over several years. Some women experience menopause symptoms like hot flashes, no periods and vaginal dryness. When a woman has premature ovarian failure she experiences irregular periods at first and then periods eventually stop. Usually the level of FSH hormone is elevated on the 3^rd day of the cycle, although, in most cases, no cause is detected. Premature ovarian failure may be caused by pelvic surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or severe pelvic inflammation. Finally, premature ovarian failure is a difficult and disturbing disorder for most women especially in its diagnosis.