Luteinizing hormone releasing hormone in the treatment of anovulatory infertility

Fifteen infertile, anovulatory women, ages 20 to 37, were treated with synthetic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LH RH) to stimulate follicular maturation and/or ovulation. Thirteen of the patients had been treated unsuccessfully with other therapeutic regimens. To obtain follicular maturation, LH RH was given intramuscularly in daily doses of 25 μg for 7 days and 50 μg for the next 7 days, or 100 μg for 3 days and 150 μg for the next 3 days. Both regimens were begun on the 4th day of a spontaneous or induced cycle. Follicular maturation (evaluated by the cervical mucus scale) occurred in three of seven cycles treated with the first regimen and three of five treated with the second regimen. To induce ovulation, LH RH was given in intravenous infusion (50 to 500 μg), intramuscularly (100 μg), or in a combination of both methods. The drug was administered after follicular maturation with LH RH, clomiphene citrate, or human menopausal gonadotropin had been achieved; it was also given during four cycles in which spontaneous follicular maturation had occurred. Ovulation occurred in 10 of 25 treated cycles. Five pregnancies resulted, three in the first post treatment cycle.