Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
    Featured Articles
    • Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
      Foods You Don’t Have To Buy Organic: The Clean 15
    • Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
      Foods You Should Always Buy Organic: The Dirty Dozen
    • Food Safety
      What Is Allulose?
    • Cooking & Cookware
      Buckwheat Basics?
    • Videos
      Video: Top 12 Anti-Inflammatory Foods To Add To Your Shopping List
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins
  • Shop
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Subscribe
No More Menopause?
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Health Centers
  4. Women

No More Menopause?

Did I hear right that doctors have come up with a way to reverse menopause so that women can remain fertile and give birth later in life? Is this a joke?

Andrew Weil, M.D. | October 13, 2016

no more menopause
2 min

It’s no joke, but we don’t know yet whether the newly reported strategy to reverse menopause will actually lead to pregnancy and live, healthy births. Here’s the story: a team of doctors in Greece has developed a method to restore menstrual cycles in post-menopausal women who want to have children. The researchers have not yet published the results of their investigation in a peer-reviewed medical journal, but they did report on what they’ve accomplished so far at the July 2016 meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Helsinki, Finland. I read about the presentation in the British magazine New Scientist.

The Greek team has been studying the benefits of giving women platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to reverse menopause. Platelets produce growth factors, which are proteins that can stimulate the growth and repair of body tissues. To extract the plasma used for PRP, blood is spun in a centrifuge. (PRP is most commonly used to treat sports injuries, although a 2014 scientific review of this practice concluded there is insufficient evidence to support its use for this purpose.)

The Greek researchers reported that by injecting PRP into the ovaries of menopausal women they were able to restart the menstrual cycle, which allowed them to collect and fertilize eggs that were subsequently released. All the women participating were in their 40s and had reached menopause early. One of the women was five years past menopause, which had occurred at age 40. She had a period six months after her PRP injection. The team reported collecting three eggs from her ovaries and successfully fertilizing two in the lab with her husband’s sperm. They are waiting until they can collect and fertilize a third egg before implanting all three in the patient’s uterus. So far, the team, led by gynecologist Konstantinos Sfakianoudis, claims to have injected PRP into the ovaries of some 30 women, all of whom want children. Dr. Sfakianoudis said he and his colleagues were able to collect and fertilize eggs from most of the women.

We won’t be able to evaluate how effective this approach to renewing fertility is until the researchers complete larger studies and publish the results. If PRP really can reverse menopause and restore or prolong ovarian function, it might also benefit women who aren’t interested in pregnancy but face the risks of heart disease and osteoporosis that accelerate after menopause. The procedure could also potentially be used to help reduce hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.

Time will tell.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Source:

Jessica Hamzelou, “Menopause Reversal Restores Periods, Produces Fertile Eggs.” New Scientist, July 20, 2016, https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23130833-100-menopause-reversal-restores-periods-and-produces-fertile-eggs/, accessed July 21, 2016

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Trending Now

A Healthy Valentine's Day? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Women

A Healthy Valentine's Day?

Mature Woman Experiencing Hot Flush From Menopause
Women

A New Treatment for Hot Flashes?

a test for ovarian cancer
Cancer

A Test for Ovarian Cancer?

acupressure for menstrual pain
Women

Acupressure For Menstrual Pain?

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
A Healthy Valentine's Day? | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Women

A Healthy Valentine's Day?

Mature Woman Experiencing Hot Flush From Menopause
Women

A New Treatment for Hot Flashes?

Daily Tips
Boost Your Mood In Five Simple Steps
Health Tips

Boost Your Mood In Six Simple Steps

hair and nail supplements
Health Tips

4 Supplements For Your Hair, Skin, & Nails

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright 2021 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com