Menstrual Disorders Related to Eating Disorders

Abstract

: Eating disorders (ED) are associated with multiple physical complications that strongly affect the physical health of these young and fragile patients and can also cause significant mortality, the highest among psychiatric pathologies. Among the various organic complications, albeit still little known, the gynecological implications, up to infertility, are very widespread. Among adolescent and adult patients, gynecological symptoms can be very widespread and range from menstrual irregularities to amenorrhea, from vaginitis to ovarian polycystosis, up to complications during the gestational phase and postpartum, in addition to the possible consequences on the unborn child. Among the most frequent and significant gynecological disorders in women with ED, there are menstrual irregularities that may occur with oligomenorrhea or even amenorrhea. , Although no longer part of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for defining anorexia nervosa (AN), this symptom must be considered a very relevant event in the overall evaluation of young women and adolescents with eating disorders. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea in ED patients is related to psychological distress, excessive exercise, disordered eating, or a combination of these factors, which results in suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, and consequently, hypoestrogenism. This paper has the objective to summarize the causes and the mechanism underlying menstrual disorders and provide a better understanding of the correlation between the reproductive system and the mechanisms that regulate food intake and eating habits. In addition, early recognition of risk factors for eating disorders for gynecological implications can help put more accurate assessments of patients to prevent potentially fatal complications. The importance of the involvement of specialist gynecologists in the multidisciplinary team that has to follow patients with eating disorders is also discussed.

Maternal Diet Determines Milk Microbiome Composition and Offspring Gut Colonization in Wistar Rats

“…However, the influence of environmental factors, such as stress or diet, on vaginal community stability is poorly known. Although chronic stress induced by severe food restriction, like in patients with anorexia nervosa, has been associated with bacterial vaginosis, menstrual cycle irregularity and amenorrhea [44], the interaction between diet, menstrual dysfunction and vaginal community stability remain unexplored. Thus, it is possible that maternal diet during gestation may alter the vaginal microbiota transmitted to offspring and subsequently influence their gut colonization and maturation.…”

Psychogenetic Risk-Markers for Developing Anorexia Nervosa

“…Suicide is the second most common cause of death after medical complications (Sullivan, 1995;Arcelus et al, 2011;Udo et al, 2019). Since the menstrual cycle of almost all female adolescents affected by anorexia is affected as well, a substantial number will have difficulties conceiving or may lose that ability altogether (Milano et al, 2022).…”

Prevalence of Gynecological Related Symptoms and Quality of Life in Women Living with HIV/AIDS: a Secondary Analysis from an Online, Cross-Sectional Survey in China

“…Among adolescent and adult women, gynecologic related symptoms (GRS) can be very widespread and range from menstrual irregularities to amenorrhea, also from vaginitis to ovarian polycystosis. 8 Several studies have indicated that WLWHA may experience different symptom profiles or menopause at an earlier age than their HIV-negative counterparts, 9 , 10 caused by lower levels of antimullerian hormone (a biological marker of ovarian reserve), 11 suggesting ovarian dysfunction earlier. Scientists found that the pathophysiology underlying ovarian dysfunction in WLWHA was likely to be the effects of the virus itself and opportunistic infection on the ovaries and the pituitary gland.…”