Endocrine response and ovum transport in women treated with d-Trp6–luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone in the postovulatory period

Abstract

Possible alterations in ovum transport during increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis were investigated in women. D-Trp6-luteinizing hormone (LH)-releasing hormone, a synthetic peptide with potent gonadotropin-releasing activity, was used to induce a gonadotropin surge and stimulate ovarian steroid secretion in the postovulatory phase. The compound was administered intramuscularly or intravenously 24, 48, or 72 hours following the maximum preovulatory LH level in plasma in seven women. An immediate and pronounced gonadotropin surge accompanied by a moderate increase in the estradiol and progesterone level was obtained in all cases. Ova were recovered from the fallopian tubes in four of the seven women 24 hours following treatment. The rate of recovery and the location of ova within the genital tract indicate that the treatment and the resulting endocrine changes failed to accelerate migration of the ova toward the uterus. This observation, taken together with other negative findings previously reported, suggests that in comparison with other mammals transport of the ovum in the woman is relatively insensitive to endocrine changes occurring in the postovulatory phase.