[Amenorrhea due to weight loss].

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Gynecology

Context:

• Secondary amenorrhea is the cessation of menstruation in women who have previously menstruated.
• Weight loss, often due to conscious food restriction for cosmetic reasons, is a common cause of secondary amenorrhea, especially in young, unmarried women.

Purpose:

• To investigate the hormonal profiles and treatment outcomes in patients with amenorrhea due to weight loss.
• To evaluate the efficacy of clomiphene, gonadotropins, and LH-RH stimulation therapy in restoring ovulation and menstrual cycles.

Summary:

• The study analyzed 243 patients with secondary amenorrhea caused by weight loss, predominantly young women. Initial LH-RH tests showed low LH levels and impaired responses, while FSH levels were normal. Treatment with clomiphene was highly effective in 1st grade amenorrhea but less so in 2nd grade. Gonadotropin therapy showed higher ovulation rates in 2nd grade amenorrhea. LH-RH stimulation therapy led to cycle resumption or improvement in 60% of patients within a year.

Impact:

• This research highlights the hormonal dysregulation (specifically LH deficiency) in weight-loss-induced amenorrhea.
• It provides evidence for the differential efficacy of ovulation induction treatments based on amenorrhea severity.
• The findings suggest that hormonal therapies can successfully restore reproductive function in many patients with amenorrhea due to weight loss.