THE EFFECT OF PROGESTERONE ON FSH AND LH RESPONSE TO LHRH IN NORMAL WOMEN

Abstract

An LHRH test was performed on twenty-eight regularly menstruating females during follicular phase of their cycles. Twenty-four were then given an intramuscular injection of progesterone in oil and retested with LHRH 20 or 44 h later, the remaining four received no pretreatment and acted as controls. The twelve subjects retested 20 h after the progesterone injection showed marked changes in response. The greatest increase in gonadotrophin release after LHRH was seen when subjects were tested between days 8 and 10 of the menstrual cycle. In contrast, the twelve studied 44 h after receiving the steroid showed no change in release.