Endocrinology >>>> Endocrine infertility - what is it?

Endocrine infertility - what is it?

Disruption of the endocrine system, which regulates the processes of ovulation and the production of full-fledged sperm, lead to infertility in women and men. Since structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the gonads themselves are involved in the regulation of sexual functions and high-quality ovums and sperm (viable), any (even minor) disorders can cause infertility in both sexes.

The most common causes of endocrine infertility are::

Dysfunction of the hypothalamus - pituitary structures that can be damaged as a result of brain injury, brain tumors. In such cases, hyperprolactinemia develops, which, in turn, inhibits ovarian function.
An increased concentration of androgens in the female body, which is carried out by the ovaries, or the adrenal glands, or occurs from both organs.
Dysfunction of the thyroid gland, expressed by hypothyroidism or goiter, often provokes prolactinemia and subsequent endocrine infertility.
An insufficient amount of progesterone and estrogens in a woman's body leads to disruption of the functions of the endometrium, fallopian tubes, and disrupts the mechanisms of ovum attachment in the uterus.
The presence of somatic diseases (systemic diseases, autoimmune diseases, liver diseases, the presence of tumors in the body).
Both an insufficient amount of fatty tissue in a woman's body and its excess adversely affect the ability to reproduce, since it is adipose tissue that is the source of the formation of the necessary substances - hormones. With a lack of fat, a sufficient amount of hormones is not produced (they have nowhere to come from), and with an excess amount of fat, a hormonal imbalance occurs.
Lack of ovarian function, which manifests itself in insensitivity to the hormones of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal glands.
Premature menopause speaks of the depletion of the ovaries as the source of the ovums.
Lack of female sex hormones associated with genetic abnormalities.

Signs of endocrine infertility:

deviations during the menstrual cycle,
lack of pregnancy,
replacement of menstruation with menstrual bleeding,
the presence of signs of hyperandrogenism (hirsutism, baldness, acne, etc.),
pulling pain in the lower abdomen,
swelling of the mammary glands and excretion of colostrum.

Diagnosis of endocrine infertility is carried out on the basis of the patient's millet about the duration, regularity and course of menstruation. The indicators of basal temperature, which reacts to the process of the moment of ovulation, are investigated.

The state and functionality of the organs responsible for reproduction is investigated, the hormonal background is investigated. Conduct tomography of the brain, ultrasound of the thyroid gland, ovaries, adrenal glands.

The diagnosis of endocrine infertility is made to a woman after her examination and examination of the man on the basis of his spermogram.

Treatment of endocrine infertility is complex. Depending on the identified problems, the hormonal background, weight (fat mass) are corrected, and the correction of diseases that provoke infertility is carried out. If all the measures taken do not lead to the desired result - pregnancy, then the IVF procedure is performed.