Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) short protocol, but not hMG alone, rescues the corpus luteum from the preceding cycle.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether ovulation induction regimens, particularly the short protocol, has an effect on the corpus luteum (CL) from the previous cycle.


METHODS
Infertility patients were followed in an academic research environment. Patients were treated with either the short protocol (GnRH agonist [GnRH-a] and hMG) or hMG alone in a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycle.


METHODS
Infertility center in academic setting.


METHODS
Patients requiring ovulation induction.


METHODS
The blood samples were drawn on day 2 or 3 as a baseline before initiation of any treatments, generally on day 5 and usually every other day thereafter until ovulation. Serum P, E2, and relaxin were determined.


METHODS
Serum P, E2 and relaxin.


RESULTS
Patients receiving hMG alone showed no change in serum P levels in the first few days of treatment whereas most short-protocol patients (18/30; 60%) showed an increase of P within 3 days of the initiation of treatment. The increase in P almost always was associated with an increase in relaxin as a marker of the luteal production of this P.


CONCLUSIONS
The short protocol with its flare of gonadotropins is able to stimulate the CL from the previous cycle, resulting in an early increase in P that comes from the CL as indicated by its association with an increased relaxin in the same subjects.
Castracane
V D
VD
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo 79106, USA.
Schmidt-Sarosi
C L
CL
Goldsmith
L T
LT
Weiss
G
G
D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000187:drug effects*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins; D016729:Leuprolide