THE RELATION BETWEEN PLASMA PROGESTERONE AND TOTAL URINARY OESTROGENS FOLLOWING INDUCTION OF OVULATION IN WOMEN

Abstract

ABSTRACT Plasma progesterone levels have been measured before and after a single injection of 9000 IU of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)* at different levels of total oestrogen excretion (TE) in 67 treatments with human pituitary gonadotrophin (HPG) in amenorrhoic women. With a TE excretion of less than 70 μg/24 h the rise in plasma progesterone was similar to that found in a normal menstrual cycle indicating the formation of only one corpus luteum. With more than 70 μg/24 h of TE several corpus lutea was formed as judged by the rise in plasma progesterone levels. No further increase was seen above 300 μg/24 h. The luteal phase was shorter than normal in the group with 75–300 μg/24 h of TE.