Delayed sexual development: a study of 252 patients

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1981 Jun 15;140(4):371-80. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(81)90029-6.

Abstract

A series of 252 patients with abnormalities of pubertal development are reported. Ovarian failure, followed by Rokitansky syndrome and then physiologic delay, are the most frequently encountered etiologies. Other etiologies are diverse and numerically less frequent. The average age of presentation, patient's height, somatic anomalies, diagnostic errors, and subsequent reproductive potential of each diagnostic group are reported. Only 35 (14%) of all patients presenting with abnormalities of pubertal development had subsequent normal reproductive potential. All of these patients were in the physiologic delay category.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Female
  • Genital Neoplasms, Female / complications
  • Humans
  • Hypogonadism / etiology
  • Hypothalamus / physiopathology
  • Pituitary Gland / physiopathology
  • Pituitary Neoplasms / complications
  • Prolactin / metabolism
  • Puberty, Delayed / etiology*
  • Puberty, Delayed / physiopathology
  • Sex Chromosome Aberrations / complications
  • Uterus / abnormalities
  • Vagina / abnormalities

Substances

  • Prolactin