What Is Childhood Hypogonadism?
Print Page There are two types of hypogonadism: • Primary hypogonadism is failure of the sex glands (testes or ovaries) to develop properly because they do not produce enough gonadal hormones (progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone). Consequently, the sex glands cannot produce enough sperm or ova. Untreated primary hypogonadism means the child will likely be sterile. • Hypogonadism also seriously affects the growth of the child’s brain, bone, muscle, fat, body hair, and breasts. The child will not develop age-appropriately. • Secondary hypogonadism is failure of the pituitary gland in the brain to stimulate the testes or ovaries adequately. This may be because the child inherited a gene called KISS, or the hypothalamus in the brain has a disturbance in gonadotrophin releasing-hormone (GnRH) secretion, or a lesion develops in the pituitary gland after birth. If childhood hypogonadism is treated correctly with hormone replacement therapy, then affected men and women can go on to lead a
