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Functional hypothalamic and drug-induced amenorrhea: an overview
A Lania1, L Gianotti2, I Gagliardi3
1Endocrinology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University and Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Italy.
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation
|February 12, 2019
Summary
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is a common cause of anovulation. Lifestyle factors like stress and exercise, along with certain medications and substance abuse, can trigger FHA and unexplained infertility in women.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive endocrinology and neuroendocrinology.
Background:
- Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is a chronic anovulation without organic causes, presenting significant health risks.
- Identifying FHA or at-risk individuals relies on recognizing lifestyle factors like stress, weight loss, and excessive exercise impacting the gonadal axis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review common forms of FHA, including stress- and overtraining-induced amenorrhea.
- To examine drug-induced amenorrhea, particularly its link to psychoactive medications and potential role in unexplained infertility.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of stress-induced amenorrhea.
- Literature review of overtraining-induced amenorrhea.
- Literature review of drug-induced amenorrhea, focusing on psychoactive drugs and substance abuse.
Main Results:
- Stress, excessive exercise, and weight loss are key lifestyle factors associated with FHA.
- Psychoactive drugs (antipsychotics, antidepressants, anti-epileptics) are linked to drug-induced amenorrhea.
- Substance abuse (opioids, alcohol) may contribute to rising unexplained female infertility.
Conclusions:
- Understanding FHA triggers is crucial for early identification and intervention.
- The impact of medications and substance abuse on female reproductive health warrants further investigation.
- FHA and unexplained infertility highlight the complex interplay between lifestyle, medication, and reproductive function.
Keywords:
AlcoholDrug-induced amenorrheaFunctional amenorrheaHypoestrogenismHypothalamic amenorrheaOpiatesMore Related Videos
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