Study for the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE) I. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions with detailed feedback. Prepare confidently!

Multiple Choice

After menopause, estrogen is primarily produced by which tissue?

After menopause, estrogen comes mainly from peripheral tissues through aromatization. Adipose tissue contains the enzyme aromatase, which converts circulating androgens from the adrenal glands into estrogens (primarily estrone, with some estradiol). Since the ovaries greatly reduce or stop estrogen production after menopause, this peripheral conversion becomes the main source of estrogen. The placenta isn’t active in postmenopause, and the testes are not relevant to estrogen production in a woman. The amount of estrogen produced via adipose tissue can vary with body fat, which is why estrogen levels can differ among individuals after menopause.

After menopause, estrogen comes mainly from peripheral tissues through aromatization. Adipose tissue contains the enzyme aromatase, which converts circulating androgens from the adrenal glands into estrogens (primarily estrone, with some estradiol). Since the ovaries greatly reduce or stop estrogen production after menopause, this peripheral conversion becomes the main source of estrogen. The placenta isn’t active in postmenopause, and the testes are not relevant to estrogen production in a woman. The amount of estrogen produced via adipose tissue can vary with body fat, which is why estrogen levels can differ among individuals after menopause.