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Stress-Induced Reproductive Axis Suppression

Meaning

Stress-Induced Reproductive Axis Suppression is a well-documented physiological phenomenon where chronic or severe psychological, physical, or metabolic stress triggers an inhibitory cascade that downregulates the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis, resulting in reduced production of sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. This suppression is a survival mechanism, diverting metabolic resources away from reproduction toward immediate survival, but it leads to clinical manifestations like amenorrhea in women and functional hypogonadism in men. It is a critical example of neuroendocrine crosstalk dysfunction.