MENSTRUATION AND FERTILITY FOLLOWING ANOREXIA-NERVOSA

Study Objective: To determine 1) menstrual weight (% normal body weigh t at which menses resumed or began following anorexia nervosa) and 2) effects of anorexia nervosa on subsequent fertility. Design: Retrospec tive, blinded interviews of patients. Setting: Outpatient. Participant s: Cohort of 83 amenorrheic adolescent females hospitalized consecutiv ely between January 1, 1979 and September 31, 1988 on an Adolescent Me dicine unit for the treatment of anorexia nervosa, interviewed greater -than-or-equal-to 4 years posthospitalization. Interventions: None. Ma in Outcome Measures: 1) Menstrual weight (reported weight on resumptio n or initiation of menses, expressed as % normal body weight for heigh t), and 2) fertility history. Results: Menses was occurring in 83% of subjects at follow-up. The menstrual weight averaged 92.1 +/- 7.4 (SD) %. The % body weight for menstruating vs. amenorrheic subjects was 99. 2 +/- 13.6 (SD)% vs. 86.6 +/- 7.7%, respectively (p = 0.0001). All fem ales who wanted to conceive were able to do so within 1 year of trying to become pregnant. Conclusions: Following anorexia nervosa, menses c an be expected to resume when weight reaches 92% of normal weight for height. A history of anorexia nervosa is unlikely to affect fertility if weight is restored to normal.