title: Fertility potential in thalassemia major women: current findings and future diagnostic tools.
abstract: Preserving fertility, preventing early menopause, and predicting reproductive ability have become crucial for many adult thalassemia major females. Luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) and estradiol, commonly used for assessment of fertility potential in thalassemia, have a poor predictive value. Current reproductive practice uses markers of ovarian reserve testing, which were not yet studied in thalassemia women. We explored the relationship between liver iron concentration (LIC) and fertility status in 26 females (mean 30 years old). Seventeen (65%) of them experienced primary or secondary amenorrhea. Levels of LH/FSH and estradiol were low or undetectable in 48% and 35% of patients, respectively and did not correlate with age, presence of amenorrhea, and LIC. This further addresses the need for utilization of current available methods for assessment of fertility capacity in thalassemia, which will also allow future correlation with pituitary iron measures by MRI as well as early intervention for fertility preservation.
authors: Hematology/Oncology Department, Children's Hospital and Research Center at Oakland, California, USA.
authors: Sylvia T
authors: ST
authors: Singer
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Sweeters
authors: Olivia
authors: O
authors: Vega
authors: Annie
authors: A
authors: Higa
authors: Elliott
authors: E
authors: Vichinsky
authors: Marcelle
authors: M
authors: Cedars
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D007501:Iron