Methods for monitoring follicle maturation decrease; the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome during gonadotropin treatment.

Abstract

Therapy with human menopausal gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG-hCG) has proved effective for induction of ovulation in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism showing anovulation or sterility. However, two important complications, the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and multiple gestations, are observed in a few patients treated with these hormones. In the past, follicular maturation was evaluated by the cervical mucus score (CM) and serum estradiol level (E2). But recently, ultrasonographic monitoring (USG) and the measurement of urinary estrogen (E) with a commercial kit of sufficiently high sensitivity have been advocated for the prevention of these complications. In this study, we investigated the relationships between the monitoring methods during hMG-hCG treatment and the rates of the OHSS, ovulation, pregnancy and multiple pregnancy.