Causes

Primary ovarian insufficiency may be caused by:

• Chromosomal defects. Some genetic disorders are associated with primary ovarian insufficiency. These include mosaic Turner syndrome — in which a woman has only one normal X chromosome and an altered second X chromosome — and fragile X syndrome — in which the X chromosomes are fragile and break.
• Toxins. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are common causes of toxin-induced ovarian failure. These therapies can damage genetic material in cells. Other toxins such as cigarette smoke, chemicals, pesticides and viruses might hasten ovarian failure.
• An immune system response to ovarian tissue (autoimmune disease). In this rare form, your immune system produces antibodies against your ovarian tissue, harming the egg-containing follicles and damaging the egg. What triggers the immune response is unclear, but exposure to a virus is one possibility.
• Unknown factors. The cause of primary ovarian insufficiency is often unknown (idiopathic). Your doctor might recommend further testing to find the cause, but in many cases, the cause remains unclear.