title: The effect of follicle-maturing drugs on mid-cycle androgen levels in women with normal baseline levels.
abstract: Theoretically, clomiphene citrate or human menopausal gonadotropins might have a higher chance of inducing pregnancy per cycle were it not for the concomitant rise in androgens induced by these follicle-maturing drugs. In the present study, mid-cycle androgen levels were evaluated in anovulatory women with normal baseline early follicular levels who were treated with either clomiphene citrate or human menopausal gonadotropins. The only mid-cycle androgen to rise above the normal range was androstenedione. However, no negative effects of elevated androstenedione levels on pregnancy rates were apparent. Thus, at least in women with normal baseline androgen levels, the use of follicle-maturing drugs does not appear to cause a rise in androgen levels except for androstenedione, and the rise in androstenedione at mid-cycle appears to have no adverse effect on conception.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Camden.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Check
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dietterich
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lurie
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D000858:Anovulation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008596:Menotropins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D002996:Clomiphene; D000735:Androstenedione; D008596:Menotropins