Module 3
1. Module 3
1.30. Page 3
Module 3—The Male and Female Reproductive Systems
Reflect on the Big Picture
Update: A Fertility Case Study
bone density: solidity of the bone; related to calcium intake, impact exercise, and blood estrogen levels
osteoporosis: the loss of bone density that increases risk of fracture
If osteoporosis occurs after menopause, the cause is often lack of estrogen.
Jane did more research on the hormonal control of the female reproductive system, and she found that bone density relates closely to menstrual regularity and the total number of menstrual cycles. Delayed onset of menstruation and/or premature cessation of menstruation removes estrogen’s protective effect on bone. Young women who experience delayed onset of menstruation and women who are no longer menstruating are more vulnerable to calcium loss, which results in a decrease in bone mass. Can you relate this fact to Jane’s appearance and develop a hypothesis to explain her frailty? Can this fact be related to the high frequency of osteoporosis in women in their menopausal years?
Once Jane understood the effects of the stress she was putting on her body, she sought help for her eating disorder and quit competing in gymnastics. In her early twenties she started having a normal menstrual cycle.