A 31-year-old woman visited her gynecologist complaining of secondary amenorrhea (absence of menstruation for over 6 months), severe hot flushes, and difficulty conceiving.
She had blood tests to investigate the cause of these symptoms.
The results of the blood tests are shown in the table below.
| Blood test | Woman's result | Normal follicular phase range |
|---|---|---|
| Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) | 68.4 IU/l68.4 \text{ IU/l}68.4 IU/l | 3.5 to 12.5 IU/l3.5 \text{ to } 12.5 \text{ IU/l}3.5 to 12.5 IU/l |
| Luteinizing Hormone (LH) | 41.2 IU/l41.2 \text{ IU/l}41.2 IU/l | 2.4 to 12.6 IU/l2.4 \text{ to } 12.6 \text{ IU/l}2.4 to 12.6 IU/l |
| Estradiol (estrogen) | 45.0 pmol/l45.0 \text{ pmol/l}45.0 pmol/l | 73.0 to 514.0 pmol/l73.0 \text{ to } 514.0 \text{ pmol/l}73.0 to 514.0 pmol/l |
| Prolactin level | 210 mIU/l210 \text{ mIU/l}210 mIU/l | 100 to 500 mIU/l100 \text{ to } 500 \text{ mIU/l}100 to 500 mIU/l |
Comment on the results of these blood tests and the possible physiological causes of the woman's symptoms.
