title: Preovulatory follicular fluid steroid levels in stimulated and unstimulated cycles triggered with human chorionic gonadotropin.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze follicular fluid (FF) samples for steroid levels from stimulated and unstimulated cycles triggered with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and to assess the influence of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and luteinizing hormone/hCG on these levels. Spontaneous ovulatory cycles were monitored with serial ultrasound examinations, and hCG 10,000 IU was given when the lead follicle was mature. Fourteen FF samples yielding fertilizable oocytes were compared with 13 FF samples from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles. Progesterone (P) was higher in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation than in unstimulated cycles (9.0 +/- 1.2 micrograms/mL versus 4.4 +/- 0.6 microgram/mL; mean +/- SEM), whereas estradiol (E2) was lower (0.8 +/- 0.1 microgram/mL versus 1.3 +/- 0.2 microgram/mL), resulting in a higher P:E2 ratio (15.5 +/- 3.3 versus 4.4 +/- 0.7). Androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), and T:E2 ratios were all higher in unstimulated than controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles. We conclude that controlled ovarian hyperstimulation is associated with increased FF P, decreased FF E2, T, and A levels, and decreased T:E2 ratios, suggesting altered steroidogenesis and enhanced follicular aromatase activity.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California School of Medicine, California Medical Center, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Macaso
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Paulson
mesh_terms: D000735:Androstenedione / Q000032:analysis*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol