Continuous subcutaneous infusion of human menopausal gonadotropin in anovulatory women with decreased FSH/LH ratio and androgen excess

Ten women of polycystic ovarian-type (PCO-type) anovulation, having a decreased ratio of FSH to LH and androgen excess, resistant to the previous clomiphene, bromocriptine and/or daily im injections of human menopausal gonadotropine (hMG), were treated with continuous sc infusion of 150 IU/day hMG. The treatment was initiated on cycle day 2-5 and continued until the dominant follicle reached 20 mm or more in diameter, when an im bolus of 10,000 IU human chorionic gonadotropin was given. The treatment elevated the geometric mean of pretreatment serum FSH (8.6 mIU/ml) to 15.9 mIU/ml (p less than 0.001), while serum LH decreased from 29.4 mIU/ml to 20.7 mIU/ml (p less than 0.01). This resulted in a highly significant increase in the FSH/LH ratio from 0.29 to 0.77 (p less than 0.0001). Follicle enlargement was demonstrated in 13 of the 14 treatment cycles, 12 of which were ovulatory. Pregnancy ensued in 4 cases, 1 of which was a quadruplet pregnancy. Continuous infusion of hMG was indicated as an effective way of inducing ovulation in PCO-type anovulation resistant to conventional methods of ovulation induction.