It usually involves a non-regular menstrual cycle, combined with high levels of gonadotrophins and normal prolactin levels. These signs usually point towards ovarian failure combined with elevated FSH (> 20 mIU/ml) and low oestradiol. When this is occurs in women under 30 years of age it is called premature ovarian failure

• Premature ovarian failure occurs in 1% of all cases of infertility an in 10% of women with amenorrhea.
• Poor responders are women whose follicles do not develop despite being treated with gonadotrophins.Around 2/5 women with premature ovarian failure are also poor responders.
• Primary gonadal dysgenesis is a rare condition in which follicles are not formed during the childs embryonic development. The absence of follicles can only be treated via egg donation.
• Empty follicle syndrome is a rare condition, which is diagnosed via IVF when two or more cycles fail to gain any oocytes from the egg collection despite the presence of seemingly mature follicles.