This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.
Abstract
Gonadotropin secretion during the post-menopausal period is considerably higher than
during the reproductive years. In this study, we present evidence that changes in
the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian unit occur over a period of years before the onset
of menstrual irregularity which heralds the menopause.
FSH and LH were measured in blood samples taken on 6 days during the mid-follicular
phase from 127 regularly cycling women aged between 23 and 49 yr. The women aged 23–30
yr were taken as the control group and the remainder were grouped in 2-yr age bands.
A significant increase in FSH was found in the group aged 40–41 yr. FSH continued
to rise gradually throughout the forties and underwent a further increase in the oldest
group (48–49 yr) in whom LH also became significantly elevated. The difference in
the timing of the change in FSH and LH concentrations was related not only to chronological
age but also to the number of years before the menopause. The increase in FSH occurred
5–6 yr pre-menopause, that in LH not until 3–4 yr before the cessation of menstruation.
It is concluded that an early sign of the aging of the reproductive mechanism can
be detected in women who are having normal ovulatory cycles. The regulation of FSH
and LH secretion appears to be sufficiently independent to permit the observed differences
in the age of onset of these pre-menopausal increases.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to MaturitasAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Pituitary-ovarian function in normal women during the menopausal transition.Clin Endocrinol. 1981; 14: 245-255
- Gonadotrophin excretion in fertile women: effect of age and the onset of the menopause.J Endocrinol. 1985; 105: 357-362
- The menopausal transition: Analysis of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone concentrations during menstrual cycles in older women.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1976; 42: 629-636
- Plasma steroid and gonadotrophin profiles in ovulatory but infertile women.Clin Endocrinol. 1978; 8: 241-255
- The human menstrual cycle; plasma concentrations of prolactin, LH, FSH, oestradiol and progesterone in conceiving and nonconceiving women.J Reprod Fertil. 1982; 65: 131-139
- Biologically active luteinizing hormone is secreted in episodic pulsations that vary in relation to the stage of the menstrual cycle.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1984; 58: 1050-1058
- Hypothalamic-pituitaryovarian function in perimenopausal women.Clin Endocrinol. 1977; 7: 13-31
- Pituitary-ovarian relationships preceding the menopause.J Am Obstet Gynecol. 1977; 129: 557-564
- Antigonadotropic activity in rete testis fluid, a possible ‘inhibin’.J. Endocrinol. 1972; 53: 1x
- Purification and characterization of an FSH releasing protein from porcine ovarian follicular fluid.Nature. 1986; 321: 776-779
- Pituitary FSH is released by a heterodimer of the beta-subunit from the two forms of inhibin.Nature. 1986; 321: 779-782
- Hormonal characteristics of the human menstrual cycle throughout reproductive life.J Clin Invest. 1975; 55: 699-706
- Age variation of the 24-hour mean plasma concentrations of androgens, estrogens and gonadotropins in normal adult men.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1982; 54: 534-538
- Evidence that pulsatile follicle-stimulating hormone secretion is independent of endogenous luteinizing releasing-hormone.Endocrinology. 1986; 118: 609-612
- Frequency and amplitude of gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulation and gonadotropin secretion in the rhesus monkey.Endocrinology. 1981; 109: 376-385
- Normal variation in the length of the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle: effect of chronological age.Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1984; 91: 681-684
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
December 29,
1987
Received:
October 20,
1987
Identification
Copyright
© 1988 Published by Elsevier Inc.
