Managing premature ovarian insufficiency

Practice nurses are often the first health professional a woman with premature ovarian insufficiency will see. Claire Bellone explains the condition and how it is managed Premature ovarian insufficiency was previously known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure. These terms did not reflect the true presentation of menstrual irregularities, the young age at diagnosis, or the psychological impact on the woman herself. Periods may not have stopped indefinitely, pregnancy may still occur and, most importantly, she has not ‘failed’. A practice nurse may be the first encounter a woman has when she presents with amenorrhoea, so understanding her unique concerns and promptly identifying the underlying cause of menstrual changes is essential to improving her long-term physical and psychological health. Despite media headlines, recommending hormone therapy, whether it be hormone replacement therapy or the combined oral contraceptive, need not be the hardest decision the practice nurse has to make.