Medical Questions » Hormones Questions » Question No. 517
Question:What do sex hormones do? How do they affect men and women? How are they used by doctors?
Answer:Sex hormones are produced by the ovaries in the woman and the testes in the man to give each sex its characteristic appearance. In men, they are responsible for the enlargement of the penis and scrotum at puberty, the development of facial hair and the ability to produce sperm and ejaculate. In women, the sex hormones that are produced for the first time at puberty cause breast enlargement, hair growth in the armpit and groin, ovulation, the start of menstrual periods, and later act to maintain a pregnancy. If the sex hormones are reduced or lacking, these characteristics disappear. This happens naturally during the female menopause. During the transition from normal sex hormone production to no production in the menopause, there may be some irregular or inappropriate release of these hormones, causing the symptoms commonly associated with menopause such as irregular periods, irritability and hot flushes. After the menopause, the breasts sag, pubic and armpit hair becomes scanty, and the periods cease due to this lack of sex hormones. Men also go through a form of menopause, but more gtadually, so the effects are far less obvious than in the female. Sex hormones, and many synthesised drugs that act artificially as sex hormones, are used in medicine in two main areas—to correct natural deficiencies in sex hormone production; and to alter the balance between the two female hormones (oestrogen and progestogen) that cause ovulation, to prevent ovulation, and therefore act as a contraceptive. Female sex hormones can also be used to control some forms of recurrent miscarriage and prolong a pregnancy until a baby is mature enough to deliver, to control a disease called endometriosis, and to tteat certain types of cancer. Uncommonly, sex hormones can be used to alter the appearance of a person who wishes to change their sex. A small dose of male testosterone can increase the libido (sex drive) in women who are lacking rhis normal instinct.
       
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