title: Premature ovarian failure risk factors in an Iranian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to determine possible correlates of premature ovarian failure (POF) in an Iranian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case-control study, 80 patients with POF were compared with 80 controls enrolled from the same setting during 2007-2008. A food diary was used to assess food consumption habits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of starting ovarian failure symptoms was 19.3 ± 5.7 years and mean age of menopause was 22.6 ± 6.3 years. Familial coincidence was observed in 16 POF patients versus no one in the control group (P < 0.05). POF patients had lower frequency of both eating red meat and fish when compared with controls (P < 0.001). POF and control subjects consumed similar amounts of dairy products, being 5.3 ± 3.2 times per week in POF and 5.6 ± 2.1 times in the control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, an association between POF and lower red meat or fish consumption was found.
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Alieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghassemzadeh
authors.forename: Laya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Farzadi
authors.forename: Elaheh
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beyhaghi