What does gonadotropin mean?
A gonadotropin is a hormone that stimulates the gonads, the organs that produce reproductive cells and sex hormones. The principal examples are follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, which are produced by the pituitary gland and help regulate ovulation, sperm production, and reproductive development, and human chorionic gonadotropin, which is produced during pregnancy and helps maintain the early pregnancy. Gonadotropins are important in fertility assessment, hormonal treatment, and pregnancy testing. The term is used mainly in medicine, endocrinology, and biology and is more specialized than the general word hormone. It should not be confused with the sex hormones produced by the gonads themselves, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone: gonadotropins act on the gonads, whereas these sex hormones circulate more broadly through the body.
nounAny of several hormones that stimulate the activity of the gonads, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and human chorionic gonadotropin.
- A hormone that stimulates the ovaries or testes, including follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and human chorionic gonadotropin.
"The researchers measured gonadotropin levels in the patient's blood to assess reproductive function."
"The clinician ordered gonadotropin tests to evaluate the cause of the patient's irregular ovulation."
"Human chorionic gonadotropin is the hormone commonly detected by home pregnancy tests."
The standard plural is used when referring to the class of hormones or to more than one specific gonadotropin.
"The study compared the levels of several gonadotropins before and after treatment."
Pregnancy tests can detect human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced by the developing placenta.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gonadotropin come from?
Gonadotropin is formed from gonad, a term derived from Greek gonos, meaning seed or offspring, combined with the element -tropin, related to Greek tropein, to turn. The components reflect the hormone's function: it acts as a turning or stimulating influence on the gonads. Related English words include gonad, gonadal, tropic, and tropism.
Related word forms
How gonadotropin is actually used
This is primarily a formal medical and biological term. American English generally uses gonadotropin, while British English also commonly uses gonadotrophin.
Easily confused with gonadotropin
Gonadotrophin is the British spelling variant of gonadotropin; the two forms refer to the same hormones.