Attempts to induce ovulation in amenorrheic patients using D-Ala-6-LH-RH propylamide.
Thirteen amenorrheic patients, two with primary amenorrhea, and eleven with secondary amenorrhea, including five with anorexia nervosa, were treated with an analog of LH-RH, D-Ala-6-desGly-10-LH-RH propylamide (D-Ala-6-LH-RH PA). The patients were follwed with checks of daily basal body temperature, cervical mucus characteristics, urinary total estrogens and pregnanediol, plasma LH and FSH, and twice-weekly clinical checkups. D-Ala-6-LH-RH PA was given continuously for 11 days at a dose of 50 microgram im from the 4th day of a steroid-induced cycle. Ethynyl estradiol (50 microgram orally) was given twice on day 14 followed by 250 microgram of D-Ala-6-LH-RH PA for the following 3 days. All the treated cycles were monophasic. Withdrawal bleeding occured in nine patients from the 4th to 6th days posttreatment. A significant total maximal increment in estrogens was found in seven patients, which was higher than the values obtained previously in the same patients with human menopausal gonadotropin. One patient conceived in the cycle immediately following discontinuation of treatment, indicating a possible effect of analog on the follicular development during the treatment; a normal baby was delivered. A second patient conceived three cycles afterwards, and two other patients began normal menstrual cycles.