About menopause: Scientists move closer to early menopause test

Would you like to have babies even in old age? This may be a sign of hope...
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LONDON: New research into the genetics of early menopause may lead to a simple test that could allow women to make decisions sooner about having children, according to a British study published on Monday.

One in 20 women starts the menopause before the age of 46 - which can affect chances of conceiving as early as a decade beforehand.

The study, by scientists from the University of Exeter and the Institute of Cancer Research, found that four genes working in combination appear to significantly raise the risk of early menopause.

The findings could eventually help identify women at greater risk, allowing them to make earlier decisions about starting a family.

Menopause usually occurs when the number of remaining eggs in the ovary falls below around 1,000. But the factors which determine how quickly the egg reserve depletes are less well understood.

The research, published in Human Molecular Genetics, looked at 2,000 women who had experienced early menopause and a similar number who had entered the menopause at the normal age.

It found that the presence of each of the four genes appeared to have some influence on the timing of the menopause. When more than one of the genes was found in the woman's DNA, the effect was even more pronounced.

"It is estimated that a woman's ability to conceive decreases on average 10 years before she starts the menopause," said Dr Anna Murray, who led the research.

"Therefore, those who are destined to have an early menopause and delay childbearing until their 30s are more likely to have problems conceiving.

"These findings are the first stage in developing an easy and relatively inexpensive genetic test which could help the one in 20 women who may be affected."

Susan Seenan of Britain's Infertility Network, which supports women who are infertile as early as their twenties as a result of early menopause, welcomed the findings.

"It's early days yet, but we would welcome any research that may help women to plan ahead and make earlier decisions about having children," she said.

- AFP/de


From ChannelNewsAsia.com; source article is below:Scientists move closer to early menopause test
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Innocent? We want your DNA

Despite opposition, UK Home Secretary proposes new DNA database policy

by THE GUARDIAN, AFP

04:02 PM May 08, 2009

LONDON - The genetic profiles of hundreds of thousands of innocent people are to be kept on the national DNA database for up to 12 years. But critics claim the scheme is designed to sidestep a European human rights ruling that the “blanket” retention of suspects’ data is unlawful.

The proposed new rules for the national DNA database to be put forward today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith include plans to keep the DNA profiles of innocent people who are arrested but not convicted of minor offences for six years.

The proposal would also apply to children from age 10 who are arrested but never successfully prosecuted. In cases of more serious violent and sexual crime, innocent people’s genetic codes will be kept for 12 years.

It was widely expected that the DNA profiles, samples and fingerprints of 850,000 innocent people kept on the database would be destroyed in response to the ruling by the European court of human rights last December.

But the proposals fall short of those expectations and contrast sharply with the situation in Scotland, where only the DNA profiles of suspects arrested for serious violent and sexual offences are retained for a maximum of five years.

The Home Secretary said that the DNA database, which was set up in 1995 and holds information on about 4.5 million people, was a “vital tool” in fighting crime.

“These new proposals will ensure that the right people are on it, as well as considering where people should come off,” said Ms Smith.

However, human rights groups, and opposition politicians united yesterday in expressing dismay that the Home Office had rejected that option and predicted a race to the courts to challenge the new policy.

Ms Shami Chakrabarti, head of civil liberties group Liberty, said: “Wholly innocent people - including children - will have their most intimate details stockpiled for years on a database that will remain massively out of step with the rest of the world.”

Data on jailed criminals will continue to be stored for life, but young people convicted of only one minor offence will have their DNA samples deleted when they reach 18 years of age.

Ms Smith added the database proposals would ensure that “the right people are on it, as well as considering where people should come off”.

The Home Office estimates that even this package will mean 4,500 fewer crimes each year being detected compared with the current policy of retaining indefinitely the profiles of all those arrested.

From TODAY, World – Friday, 08-May-2009