11th April 2024

Pathophysiology

Defined as failure of the gonads to produce adequate sex hormones, hypogonadism can be classified by aetiology into primary (gonadal) or secondary (central/extra-gonadal). Primary hypogonadism results from pathology of the sex glands, while secondary hypogonadism is caused by disruption of the HPA axis. In females, this results in ovarian dysfunction with a degree of impaired oestrogen production and ovulatory failure.