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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Fertility Preservation in Patients with Severe Ovarian Dysfunction
Published on: March 25, 2021
Secondary amenorrhea and infertility caused by an inhibin-B-producing ovarian fibrothecoma
A C Meyer1, J C Papadimitriou, S G Silverberg
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201, USA.
Objective:
To report a case of secondary amenorrhea and infertility caused by an inhibin-B-producing ovarian fibrothecoma.
Design:
Case report.
Setting:
Academic medical center.
Patient:
A 37-year-old woman with a 2-year history of secondary amenorrhea and infertility.
Intervention(S):
Operative removal of a 5-cm ovarian fibrothecoma.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Luteinizing hormone, FSH, E2, inhibin-B, TSH, and prolactin measured preoperatively and postoperatively. Immunostaining of tumor cells for inhibin and LH.
Result(S):
Preoperative hormone levels were as follows: FSH, 1.7 mIU/mL; LH, 23.4 mIU/mL; E2, 31 pg/mL; and inhibin B, 1,154 pg/mL. Three weeks postoperatively, the FSH was 1.5 mIU/mL, LH decreased to 7.1 mIU/mL, E2 increased to 276 pg/mL, and inhibin-B decreased to 17 pg/mL. The fibrothecoma did not stain for LH but was strongly positive for inhibin. Regular menstrual cycles resumed 28 days postoperatively.
Conclusion(S):
Inhibin-B produced by an ovarian tumor profoundly suppressed FSH levels and resulted in secondary amenorrhea and infertility. Use of sensitive and specific immunoassays for inhibin-A and -B may aid in the differential diagnosis of hormonally active ovarian tumors.
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