The purpose of this study is two-fold. (1) We will determine if in mid- to late pubertal girls without hyperandrogenism (HA), progesterone (P4) acutely reduces waking luteinizing hormone (LH) frequency to a greater extent than sleep-associated LH frequency. (2) We will determine if in mid- to late pubertal girls with HA, P4 will acutely suppress waking LH frequency to a lesser degree than it does in girls without HA.
Mid- to late pubertal adolescent girl (at least Tanner breast stage 3, but no more than 2 years postmenarcheal)
For girls without hyperandrogenism: serum (calculated) free testosterone concentration within the Tanner stage-specific reference range and the absence of hirsutism
For girls with hyperandrogenism: serum (calculated) free testosterone concentration greater than the Tanner stage-specific reference range and/or unequivocal evidence for hirsutism
General good health (excepting overweight, obesity, hyperandrogenism, and adequately-treated hypothyroidism)
Inability/incapacity to provide informed consent
Males will be excluded (hyperandrogenism is unique to females)
Obesity resulting from a well-defined endocrinopathy or genetic syndrome
Positive pregnancy test or current lactation
University of Virginia
Lead sponsor
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Collaborator