Diagnosis

Most women have few signs of primary ovarian insufficiency, but your doctor may suspect the condition if you have irregular periods or are having trouble conceiving. Diagnosis usually involves a physical exam, including a pelvic exam. Your doctor might ask questions about your menstrual cycle, exposure to toxins, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and previous ovarian surgery.

Your doctor might recommend one or more tests to check for:

• Pregnancy. A pregnancy test checks for an unexpected pregnancy if you're of childbearing age and missed a period.
• Hormone levels. Your doctor may check the levels of a number of hormones in your blood, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a type of estrogen called estradiol, and the hormone that stimulates breast milk production (prolactin).
• Certain genes or genetic defects. You may have a karyotype test to look for abnormalities in your chromosomes. Your doctor may also check to see if you have a gene associated with fragile X syndrome called FMR1.