| Abstract: | Eighty consecutive cases of sterility was screened for suspected insufficiency of luteal function. The parameters used in the assessment were one value each for pregnandiol and oestrogen excretion, the basal temperature, the histological picture of secretory endometrium, as well as the activity of endometrial malate dehydrogenase and carbonanhydrase, or malate dehydrogenase and succinic dehydrogenase. Histological irregularities, a short luteal phase as indicated by the basal temperature, early abortion and a pregnandiol excretion of less than 1.9 mg were usually accompanied by low endometrial enzymatic acitvity. A comparison of pregnandiol excretion levels with the other four investigated parameters indicated that the number of negative findings increased with decreasing pregnandiol values. In this way, low oestrogen excretion values occurred more frequently with low pregnandiol values. However, when taken in conjunction with other findings, a low oestrogen value does not seem to be characteristic of luteal insufficiency. In certain cases the suspicion of luteal insufficiency increases with decreasing pregnandiol values and with the number of negative findings concerning basal temperature, endometrial histology and enzymatic activity, as well as oestrogen excretion. According to this point of view the incidence of a presumptive luteal phase defect was 33% in the present investigation. |
