A high level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in the blood may suggest poor ovarian reserve or ovarian failure. This means that if a woman has high FSH, the ability of her eggs to fertilize may be reduced. The causes of high FSH may vary according to the individual's condition.
Menopause
FSH stimulates ovulation when a woman is having her monthly cycle. With age, the levels of FSH naturally go down, and the monthly cycles cease, beginning menopause. That is why in older women menopause is the leading cause of reduced FSH levels.
Genetic
Genetic indications like galactosemia may perpetuate high levels of FSH. Galactosemia is a disease caused due to an imbalance in biochemical activity. Galactosemia's effect on the ovary results in the body being unable to recognize FSH, causing its production to be increased.
Turner Syndrome
Women who have had chromosomal problems like the loss of a part or the whole of the X chromosome have high FSH. Chromosomes contain the genes and DNA of every human. These also determine the sex of the human. Females have the XX chromosome, and males have the XY chromosome. In Turner syndrome, when a part or the whole of the X chromosome is missing, a condition occurring in females only, FSH levels may become abnormal.
Endometriomas
Women who have had ovarian surgery to remove cysts may experience high levels of FSH. The hypothalamus causes the production of FSH by signaling the pituitary gland, causing an increase in the ovarian follicles. With the growth of follicles, the estrogen helps the hypothalamus regulate the pituitaries production of FSH. When cysts form on the ovary, follicles cannot be formed, causing low estrogen and high FSH levels.
Environmental exposure
The endocrine system is extremely sensitive, and FSH levels may increase due to exposure to secondhand smoking or smoking cigarettes. Patient conditions requiring chemotherapy or radiation therapy may also cause elevated levels of FSH.
Familial
High levels of FSH may be caused due to familial reasons. Some women simply inherit high levels of FSH from their mothers.
Rare Causes of Elevated FSH
In rare cases FSH levels in a woman may increase after pregnancy, due to lactation and some auto-immune diseases. FSH stimulates the female ovaries so that eggs can be released for fertilization. A normal FSH suggests that the woman can get pregnant, and once she is pregnant, FSH levels may initially increase as the body adjusts to the changing hormonal needs of the body. Similarly, during lactation, hormonal changes may cause elevated FSH levels.
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