Menopause and the Perimenopausal Transition Throughout recorded history, multiple physical and mental conditions have been attributed to the menopause. Although medical writers often wrote colorfully in the past, unfortunately they…

The Breast The form, function, and pathology of the human female breast are major concerns of medicine and society. As mammals, we define our biologic class by the function of…

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Abnormal uterine bleeding is the single most common complaint that reproductive age women bring to their clinicians. All clinicians who provide primary care for women must therefore…

Hirsutism Hirsutism, defined as excessive male-pattern facial and body hair, affects between 5 and 10% of reproductive age women.1 Hirsutism can be the initial or only sign of androgen excess…

Chronic Anovulation and the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Anovulation is very common and has a number of different clinical manfestations, including amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and hirsutism. The condition also has…

Amenorrhea Few problems in gynecologic endocrinology can present a diagnostic challenge to clinicians like that of amenorrhea. The number, variety, and complexity of diseases and disorders that must be considered…

Normal and Abnormal Growth and Pubertal Development In many societies throughout history, puberty has been a time of celebration. The changes that accompany puberty announce the transition from childhood to…

Normal and Abnormal Sexual Development Abnormalities of sexual differentiation are seen infrequently in an individual clinician’s practice. However, few physicians have not been challenged at least once by a newborn…

The Endocrinology of Pregnancy Who is in charge of pregnancy, the mother or her fetus? From the vantage point of an outsider looking in, it seems as if the mother…