Pregnancies in women with Turner's syndrome

Ovarian failure is a typical feature in Turner's syndrome. Therefore, hormo ne replacement therapy (HRT) is necessary to achieve the development of nor mal female sexual characteristics and to prevent cardiovascular complicatio ns and osteoporosis. Spontaneous puberty occurs in 5-10% of women with Turn er's syndrome, and 2-5% of them become pregnant spontaneously. Sexually act ive young women with Turner's syndrome need contraception. It can be admini stered as contraceptive pills, which also serve as HRT. Oocyte donation is now a treatment option for infertility of these women. Excellent results ha ve been obtained with 46% of embryo transfers resulting in pregnancy. The p regnancies carry high risks and have to be followed up carefully. The child ren born following oocyte donation have no additional risks. Risks can be r educed by transferring only one embryo at a time to the uterus, thus avoidi ng twin pregnancies. Ovarian tissue from young girls with Turner's syndrome could be cryopreserved for infertility treatment in the future, but the op timal age of ovarian biopsy has to be studied, and methods of replantation and maturation of oocytes in vitro have still to be developed. Fertility co unselling has become important in the treatment of girls with Turner's synd rome.