PECULIARITIES OF HORMONAL HOMEOSTASIS IN WOMEN WITH DEFICIENT BODY WEIGHT

Abstract

Currently, among young women, the prevailing concept of female beauty is a slender figure with a poor subcutaneous fat layer. In this connection, many young girls use various diets and visit fitness clubs in order to lose body weight. After marriage, a significant number of them apply to family planning offices due to the failure to get pregnant after a year and more of regular sex life without contraception. The purpose of the research was to show the correlation between the levels of pituitary and ovarian hormones during the menstrual cycle and body weight deficit in women planning pregnancy. The study was carried out at the City Clinical Maternity House during 2014–2019. The information was gathered by interviewing women with body weight deficit, who were planning pregnancy, and by analysis of hormone levels. We examined 327 patients. The content of follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH), luteinizing hormones (LH), prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, cortisol was studied. The subjects were divided into 4 groups depending on the body weight deficit: 1st group – a decrease in body weight of up to 5%, 2nd group – a decrease in body weight from 5 to 10%, 3rd group ­– from 10 to 15%, 4th group – more than 15%. The studied groups were also stratified according to the main etiological factor, namely: a) insufficient nutrition in quantitative and qualitative terms (starvation, some vitamin deficiencies, etc.); b) long-term physical exertion; c) long-term psycho-emotional stress; d) asocial lifestyle (alcoholism, substance abuse). The results of the study showed changes in the level of hormones in response to the influence of these factors. It was concluded that the most important factor that changed the level of hormones in the body was a causal relationship that caused weight loss. The most significant factors were: prolonged psycho-emotional stress and malnutrition, while prolonged physical exertion and unhealthy lifestyle were milder predisposing causes that led to changes in hormonal levels in case of underweight. To relieve psycho-emotional stress and optimize nutrition, it is necessary to manage patients together with a psychotherapist and a nutritionist.

Keywords

• follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, cortisol, prolonged psycho-emotional stress, malnutrition