Women who have undergone a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) experience a decline in what hormone?

Women who have undergone a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), which involves the removal of both ovaries and fallopian tubes, experience a significant decline in estrogen levels. The ovaries are the primary source of estrogen production in the female body, and when they are removed, the body no longer produces this hormone.

Estrogen plays a crucial role in numerous physiological processes, including the regulation of the menstrual cycle and maintenance of various bodily systems, such as cardiovascular health, bone density, and mood stabilization. The abrupt decline in estrogen following a BSO can lead to a variety of symptoms related to menopause, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.

While progesterone levels would also decline due to the removal of the ovaries, the significant and immediate focus in the context of a BSO is the loss of estrogen production, which has profound effects on a woman's health post-surgery. The other hormone options listed, such as circulating androgen levels and luteinizing hormone, are less directly affected in this scenario, as androgens can still be produced by adrenal glands and luteinizing hormone levels are influenced by other factors in the endocrine system. Thus, the key hormone whose levels drop significantly