Intraindividual hormonal variability in ultrasonographically timed successive ovulatory menstrual cycles is detected only in the luteal phase in infertility patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess intraindividual variation of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, estradiol, progesterone, inhibin A, and inhibin B in three successive ovulatory cycles correlated with transvaginal ultrasound monitored morphological changes in the ovary.


METHODS
Serial transvaginal color and pulsed Doppler ultrasound and serum hormone analysis were performed during midfollicular, periovulatory, and midluteal phase for three consecutive cycles in 19 patients with normal menstrual cycles.


RESULTS
Luteinising hormone and progesterone showed significant differences in the midluteal phase between the 1st and 2nd cycle (luteinising hormone p = 0.007 and progesterone p = 0.02). Progesterone showed a similar significant change (p = 0.013) between the 2nd and 3rd cycle. No significant differences were seen in the midfollicular or periovulatory phases or between the 1st and 3rd cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
Luteal phase progesterone and luteinising hormone concentrations showed individual variation in successive cycles suggesting early or late corpus luteolysis. Follicular and periovulatory hormone levels were similar in subsequent ovulatory cycles.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Diana, Princess of Wales Centre for Reproductive Medicine, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London, United Kingdom. kojha@sghms.ac.uk
Kamal
K
Ojha
Sophie C
SC
Barnes
Frances G
FG
Boa
Stephen
S
Moody
Povilas
P
Sladkevicius
Geeta
G
Nargund
Paul O
PO
Collinson
D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; C422362:inhibin A; C422364:inhibin B; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone