A comparison of treatments with exogenous FSH to promote folliculogenesis in patients with quiescent ovaries due to the continued administration of an LHRH agonist

The circulating levels of plasma follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and oestradlol (E₂) have beendetermined in three groups of three subjects during the continuous,subcutaneous administration of an LH-RH agonist (250 µg/day)and after the intramuscular injection of urinary FSH (groupI, 150 IU daily for 8 days, total 1200 IU; group II, 300 IUon alternate days for four injections, total 1200 IU; and groupIII, 150 IU on alternate days for four injections, total 600IU). The level of circulating FSH in group I rose steadily froma geometric mean of 1.11 (preinjection) to 8.76 U/I (at day8), while the corresponding levels in groups II and III fluctuatedaccording to the time and dose of the injected material. Twenty-fourhours after the injection the mean level of FSH in group IIwas significantly higher (7.31 U/I) than the corresponding valuefor group I (2.79 U/I) or group III (3.48 U/I). Only those subjectsin group II showed a resumption of folliculogenesis (leading,mean maximum follicular diameters of 16, 13 and 14 mm, respectively)and a corresponding Increase in the concentration of plasmaE₂ (from 22, 43 and 103 to 906, 1477 and 2362 pmol/l, respectively).