This is often a sign of insulin-resistant diabetes and lipid disorders. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia . It is the most common cause of ambiguous external genitalia in infancy. A genetic defect, it is most common among Ashkenazi Jews, as well as Alaskan Eskimos, Hispanics, and those of northern European and Scandinavian descent. CAH is a collective term for a number of enzyme deficiencies in the synthesis of cortisol from cholesterol.
Prenatal diagnosis is by amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome . The disease is characterized by chronic anovulation, hyperandrogenism, polycystic ovaries, and insulin resistance. Libido and Sexual Activity . Endocrine determinants of female sexuality and the role of estrogens and androgens in female sexual behavior continue to elude scientific understanding. The only clearly demonstrated endocrine effect on female sexual function is that of estrogen and the vaginal epithelium in the postmenopausal woman.