Turner's Syndrome

Turner's syndrome, also known as gonadal dysgenesis, affects approximately 1 in every 3,000 females. Although the severity of the abnormalities varies, this disease causes the ovary to lose all of its eggs before puberty. Other abnormalities include learning disabilities, skeletal abnormalities, cardiac anomalies, hearing impairment, growth deficiencies, hyperlipidemia, thyroid dysfunction and diabetes.

Turner's syndrome is caused by a missing X chromosome, one of the two sex chromosomes, or a deficiency in the amount of genetic material on the X chromosome. The type and amount of genetic material missing determines the severity of the disease.

There is no known prevention or cure for this disease, but it can be treated.  Human growth hormone therapy increase the rate of growth, and sex hormones can promote pubertal development. Infertility in patients with Turner's syndrome cannot be altered, but some women are able to become pregnant through donor eggs and in vitro fertilization.

Call 404-778-3401 to make an appointment with one of our specialists.