Project Vital Sign ® is an effort to address critical issues that are vital to women’s health. Menstruation is a unique indicator of a woman’s overall emotional and physical health. The mission of Project Vital Sign is to identify critical issues linked to the menstrual cycle as well as to address misconceptions about it by focusing its efforts on the disease Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure.  

The Campaign for Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) (a.k.a. Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)) also called  (hypergonadotropic hypogonadism) is a condition occurring in women under the age of 40 .  In some cases the onset begins in the teens.  The disorder has been associated  with  serious health conditions and infertility.  Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/ Premature Ovarian Failure affects approximately 1% of women.  Some symptoms of include: irregular periods to no periods, hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia,  depression,  anxiety, short term memory loss, energy loss,  and sexual dysfunction.  
 
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/ Premature Ovarian Failure affects women’s emotional, endocrine, and reproductive health.  This  disorder puts women at higher risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, thyroid disease and Addison’s disease.  It causes infertility.  It also  is associated with dry eye syndrome.  Overall, only  5-10% of women with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure will become pregnant and there are no means of determining the odds for any particular woman.  Primary Ovarian Insufficiency /Premature Ovarian Failure is often confused with menopause on account of the similarity with some of the symptoms.   However, menopause is a natural occurrence in healthy women around the age of 50, whereas Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure is an illness in younger women.

The POI/POF Campaign is a grassroots effort committed to be the voice of women with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure.  The goals of our campaign are to:

1. Advocate at the federal and state level for legislation that will increase research funds for Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure
2. Increase awareness and educate the general public about Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure and the importance of their menstrual cycle
3. Increase awareness among healthcare providers because early diagnosis is critical to the health of a woman with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/Premature Ovarian Failure
4. Increase funding to develop programs and networks that help women cope with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

For more information please contact us at info@rachelswell.org