Question

A young woman is having trouble conceiving and has come in to the office for fertility testing. She states that she has irregular and unpredictable menstrual cycles. On blood testing, it is found that her ovaries are producing excess testosterone, which is lowering her follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. What is the most likely cause of her subfertility?

Answer 1

On her blood testing it is found out that ovaries are producing excess testosterone which is lowering her LH and FSH levels. The main cause of subfertility is low levels of these hormones. Low levels of FSH have been associated with the increased risk of ovarian cancer.When FSH levels are too low or too high it can complicate the ability to become pregnant. A normal FSH level for a woman hoping to conceive is typically below 10 ml IU/ml.

Step-by-step explanation:

• Luteinizing Hormone(LH) : Just like FSH it is also a gonadotrophic hormone produced and released by cells in the anterior pituitary gland.It is crucial in regulating the function of testes in man and ovaries in women.This hormone carries out different roles in two halves of menstrual cycle.In weeks one to two of the cycle, LH is required to stimulate the ovarian follicles in the ovary to produce female sex hormone called oestradiol. Around 14th day of cycle a surge in the LH caused the ovarian follicle to tear and release a mature oocyte (egg) from the ovary and the process is called ovulation. In the remaining of ovarian follicle become corpus luteum. LH stimulates the corpus luteum to produce progesterone very much needed for the early phases of pregnancy, if fertilisation occurs. Low levels of LH in women can lead to amennorhea.
• Follicle stimulating hormone: shares the similarity to the LH.A normal FSH level for a woman hoping to conceive is typically below 10 ml IU/ml.When FSH levels are too low or too high it can complicate the ability to become pregnant.. Low levels of FSH have been associated with the increased risk of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer: Main causes of ovarian cancer are women with the personal history of breast, uterine or coon cancer, obesity. Use of certain hormone therapies and use of certain fertility drugs.It happens when cells in the ovary grows and multiply uncontrollably producing a lump of tissue which is called tumour.

Amenorrhea: Common cause include menopause, use of birth control,delayed puberty and stress and medication side effects.It also includes problem with hypothalamus which can cause an imbalance in the hormones that can prevent periods from starting & some ceratin chromosomal and genetic abnormalities.