Serum 17beta-estradiol. Index of follicular maturation during gonadotropin therapy

Abstract

Thirteen patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism were treated with human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce ovulation. Daily serum 17beta-estradiol (E2) assays were used to monitor the ovarian response to HMG. Apparent ovulation, documented by basal body temperatures, occurred in 41 of 53 hMG-hCG treatment cycles. Thirteen pregnancies occurred in 8 of the 13 patients. One twin pregnancy resulted. The hyperstimulation syndrome did not occur. Our data indicate that an optimal pregnancy rate with a minimum risk of hyperstimulation can be achieved when ovulation is induced 24 hours after the preovulatory serum E2 concentration has reached 500 to 900 pg/ml. Ovulation is induced by administering 10,000 IU and 5000 IU hCG on successive days. In addition, we now routinely give two or three injections of 2500 IU hCG at subsequent 3- to 4-day intervals to support the corpus luteum.

PIP: 13 patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism were treated with human menopausal gonadotropin (HMG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) to induce ovulation. Daily serum 17beta-estradiol (E2) assays were used to monitor the ovarian response to HMG. Apparent ovulation, documented by basal body temperatures, occurred in 41 of 53 HMG-HCG treatment cycles. 13 pregnancies occurred in 8 of the 13 patients. 1 twin pregnancy resulted. The hyperstimulation syndrome was absent. The data indicate that an optimal pregnancy rate with a minimum risk of hyperstimulation can be achieved when ovulation is induced 24 hours after the preovulatory serum E2 concentration has reached 500-900 pg/ml. Ovulation is induced by administering 10,000 IU and 5000 IU HCG on successive days. In addition, 2-3 injections of 2500 IU HCG at subsequent 3-4 day intervals to support the corpus luteum are given routinely.