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Article: Alcohol and female puberty: The role of intraovarian systems.
- Article from:
- Alcohol Research & Health
- Article date:
- December 22, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Alcohol consumption during early adolescence may suppress the secretion of specific female reproductive hormones, thereby delaying puberty and adversely affecting the maturation of the reproductive system. These effects occur through several mechanisms, including altered production and secretion by the ovaries of estradiol, a key steroid hormone involved in the timing and regulation of female reproductive events. Alcohol can affect estradiol production by interfering with the normal function of regulatory hormones produced by the brain and the pituitary gland. Recent research has demonstrated additional potential mechanisms for alcohol's effects on female reproductive ...