What hormones do the postmenopausal ovaries continue to produce?

After menopause, the ovaries significantly reduce their production of hormones, but they do not cease all hormonal function. The primary hormone synthesized by the postmenopausal ovaries is estrone, which is an estrogen derived primarily from androgens, particularly androstenedione, which can be converted in peripheral tissues, such as adipose tissue, to estrone. This means that while estrone is present, the ongoing production of certain androgens like testosterone and androstenedione persists to some extent.

Androgens, including testosterone and androstenedione, play essential roles in various metabolic processes and can be converted into estrogens through aromatization outside the ovaries, allowing for some level of estrogenic activity even after menopause. Therefore, the identification of testosterone and androstenedione as continued products of postmenopausal ovaries aligns with the biological processes that occur within the hormonal landscape during this phase of life.

In contrast, other options mention hormones that either cease to be produced or are not significantly produced by the postmenopausal ovaries. For instance, progesterone is primarily produced by the ovaries during the reproductive years and is produced less after menopause as ovulation ceases entirely. Furthermore, estradiol