title: Follicular growth pattern in normal-cycling Brazilian adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the follicular growth characteristics in normal Brazilian adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent clinic in a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy normal cycling adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endovaginal ultrasound; blood samples for hormone measurement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follicular-phase length, follicular growth rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The menstrual-cycle interval was 29.5 +/- 1.6 days. Sixty-five percent of adolescents had follicular-phase length of <or=16 days (group 1), and nearly 35% had follicular-phase length of >16 days (group 2). In the early follicular phase, the levels of FSH, LH, and E(2) were 5.1 mIU/mL, 3.0 mIU/mL, and 28.3 pg/mL, respectively. There was a mild negative correlation between FSH and follicular-phase length across the whole cohort (r = -0.464), but after analysis as a separate group, the correlation was present only in those adolescents with follicular phase lasting </=16 days. There was no correlation between LH or E(2) levels and the follicular-phase length in either group. There was good correlation between the follicular size and follicular-phase length in both groups of adolescents. The follicular growth rate was 1.11 +/- 0.05 mm/d across the whole cohort, 1.33 +/- 0.05 mm/d in the adolescents with follicular-phase length of <or=16 days, and 0.88 +/- 0.06 mm/d in those in whom the follicular phase lasted >16 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A long follicular phase is common in normal-cycling, healthy adolescents as a consequence of slow follicular growth rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medical Science, Júlio Muller University Hospital, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
authors.forename: Zuleide Aparecida Felix
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Sebastião Freitas
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: de Medeiros
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D048429:Cell Size; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone