Turner Syndrome: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Turner syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that affects females. It is a condition in which one X chromosome in a girl is fully or partially missing. It is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured. However, treatment and appropriate care can help the girl lead a happy and independent life. It can generally be detected before birth, during infancy or during early childhood. In some minor cases, the diagnosis may get delayed to adolescence or early adulthood. Turner syndrome can cause several medical and developmental problems like short height, failure of ovaries and heart defects. There are treatments like growth hormone therapy, estrogen therapy and pregnancy and fertility treatment that can assist the girl in remaining healthy even with the absence of one X chromosome.

Growth hormone therapy is used to increase the height of the females suffering from turner syndrome. Recombinant growth hormone is given as injection to them every day. The earlier the treatment starts the more improvement will be done to bone and height growth. Doctors recommend oxandrolone hormone for girls with very short stature. It increases the body’s production of proteins resulting in the improvement of bone mineral density and increase in height. Estrogen is the hormone that helps in bone mineralisation, promotes breast development and improves the size or volume of uterus. Estrogen therapy is needed for a girl suffering from turner syndrome to start puberty. Combined with growth hormone, it also helps in increasing the height. This therapy should start at the age of 10-12 years and continue until the average age of menopause is reached. Most women suffering from tuner syndrome cannot get pregnant without fertility treatment. Therefore, it is very important to discuss your condition and reproductive goals with your doctor. You must consult a good doctor and discuss all the options in detail as women with this syndrome often face high risk pregnancies.

Girls born with only one X chromosome must go for this treatment. You must look out for signs like broad chest with widely spaced nipples, swelling of hands and feet, slowed growth, cardiac defects, low hairline on the back of the head, failure to begin sexual changes expected during puberty and early end to menstrual cycle not due to pregnancy.

Sometimes, an individual may face above mentioned signs due to some other medical treatment she has been going through and not turner syndrome.

Some injections may cause temporary redness, irritation and rashes in skin.

You must make regular appointments with your doctor to keep a check on the improvement in your condition. Make sure that you are consuming a healthy and nutritious diet filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, dairy products, pulses, fish, meat etc. Stay away from alcohol and tobacco. Exercise regularly to keep your body fit and active.

Turner syndrome is a lifelong condition i.e. can never be fully cured.

Growth hormone therapy costs around ₹30000 per injection depending on your condition. Costs of other therapies vary with the severity of your condition.

Turner syndrome cannot be cured fully. It can just be made manageable through different treatments.

There are no alternatives to these treatments.