PRAGYA SANTRA, AMITY UNIVERSITY
Ovarian disorders have become a common problem for women in the present day. For detection of the diseases, ultrasonographic imaging of ovarian morphology is used mostly to diagnose the reproductive status of the women. Metabolic and hormonal disbalances cause negative ( undernutrition) or positive (obesity) energy impairment.
Ultrasonic metrices are used as biomarkers to detect the ovarian morphological disarray. Some parameters like ovarian volume (OV) and estimated number of antral follicles present are used diagnostically to check for menstrual cycle stage, any ovulatory disorders, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the characteristics of ovarian stroma. Antral follicles produce hormones that are responsible to maintain and coordinate the ovarian follicle size.
A few hypotheses say that undernutrition and overnutrition induce metabolic derangements. These trigger the trajectory of folliculogenesis ultrasonographic detectable alterations in ovarian morphology. Low energy availability due to undernutrition suppresses the antral follicle development distorting the ovarian morphology. Such women with severe manifestations of anorexia nervosa generally have small amorphous ovaries that are ultrasonographically undetectable. Women with optimal weight have been detected with multi-follicular ovaries with a modest accumulation of antral follicles.
Obesity is one more cause for ovarian disorders and is mainly associated with the negative impact of ovarian features. It is the consequence of persistent positive energy balance or overnutrition. I’s main target is the irregular menstrual cycle reducing fecundity and anovulatory infertility. Obesity even leads to insulin resistance (IR) in the body and compensatory hyperinsulinemia (CH). All these parameters are further studied to alter the gonadotropin and ovarian hormone productions disrupting folliculogenesis. IR and CH have a direct link to reproductive malfunctioning and abnormalities as the reproductive organ tissues are mainly insulin sensitive. Most of the ultrasonographic pieces of evidence direct towards the suppressive effects of obesity are limited to hormonal indicators of ovarian functions.
Constant medical checkups with periodic ultrasonography analysis for weight maintenance at times can solve the ovarian related problems. Noticeable improvements in ovarian conditions for metabolic features, lower free androgens, regular menstrual cycles, and maintaining proper morphology of antral follicles. Apart from such detailed studies, researchers are still in progress with new findings to resolve reproductive issues with more new technologies and ways as ultrasonography.
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SOURCE
Ultrasonographic features of ovarian morphology capture nutritional and metabolic influences on the reproductive axis: implications for biomarker development in ovulatory disorders; Heidi Vanden Brink, Jeffrey Pea and Marla E Lujan; Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 2020-2021, Volume: 70; Pg. No. 42–47; doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2020.10.008
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