Scientists have announced they have found a way to reverse menopause and enable women who have been through it to release fertile eggs.
Trials by scientists in Athens claim to have “rejuvenated” women’s ovaries using a blood treatment normally used to help wounds heal faster. The study has restarted periods in menopausal women, including one who had not menstruated in five years.
The research has been presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s annual meeting in Finland, The New Scientist reports.
Researchers say they have been able to collect and fertilise eggs which the women who experienced “restarted” periods have released. While they have not implanted any of these eggs, the results raise the possibility that they could be implanted in their uterus, resulting in pregnancy.
The menopause typically occurs naturally in women between 45 and 55 years of age when their periods start to become less frequent over a few months, before stopping altogether. The process can often be accompanied by a number of symptoms including hot flushes, difficulty sleeping and vaginal dryness, as well as low mood and anxiety.
Menopause can occur at a much earlier age for many women, often triggered by chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments.
