Multifollicular ovaries: clinical and endocrine features and response to pulsatile gonadotropin releasing hormone

Abstract

By means of pelvic ultrasonography, a multifollicular ovarian appearance was observed in women with weight-loss-related amenorrhoea. Multifollicular ovaries (MFO) are normal in size or slightly enlarged and filled by six or more cysts 4-10 mm in diameter; in contrast to women with polycystic ovaries (PCO), stroma is not increased. Unlike PCO patients, women with MFO were not hirsute and serum concentrations of luteinising hormone and follicle stimulating hormone were normal and decreased, respectively. The uterus was small indicating oestrogen deficiency. In MFO, treatment with gonadotropin releasing hormone (LHRH) induced ovulation in 83% of cycles and there were seven pregnancies in 8 women; in PCO, only 40% of cycles were ovulatory and there were eleven pregnancies (8 women) but six of these aborted. In MFO ovarian morphology reverted to normal in ovulatory cycles, whereas in PCO the polycystic pattern persisted despite the presence of a dominant follicle. MFO may represent a normal ovarian response to weight-related hypothalamic disturbance of gonadotropin control.