Go Girls!-Dance-Based Fitness to Increase Enjoyment of Exercise in Girls at Risk for PCOS.

Weight loss can reduce the hyperandrogenemia associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in peripubertal girls. Yet, adolescent girls have the lowest rates of physical activity and enjoyment of exercise. We created a dance-based support group (Go Girls!) to entice physical activity and improve enjoyment.

Blunted day-night changes in luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in girls with obesity: the potential role of hyperandrogenemia.

Context: Puberty is marked by sleep-associated changes in LH pulse frequency and amplitude. Early pubertal girls with obesity exhibit blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion; whether this occurs in late pubertal obese girls is unknown.

Objective: The objective of the study was to test two hypotheses: 1) blunted day-to-night changes in LH secretion occur in both early and late pubertal obese girls, and 2) such alterations are specifically associated with hyperandrogenemia.

Cardiovascular risk and combined oral contraceptives: clinical decisions in settings of uncertainty.

Although generally safe, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are associated with risks, including an estimated 2-fold increased relative risk of cardiovascular events. For most women taking COCs for contraception, absolute cardiovascular risks are very low, and the overall risks of COCs are outweighed by the risks of unwanted pregnancy. Nonetheless, risks of COCs may be excessive in some women, and both the American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have offered contraindications for COC use.

Neuroendocrine dysfunction in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common disorder characterized by ovulatory dysfunction and hyperandrogenemia (HA). Neuroendocrine abnormalities including increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse frequency, increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility, and relatively decreased follicle stimulating hormone contribute to its pathogenesis. HA reduces inhibition of GnRH pulse frequency by progesterone, causing rapid LH pulse secretion and increasing ovarian androgen production.