FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON POSTPARTUM OVARIAN REFRACTORINESS: EFFECT OF GONADAL STIMULATION IN WOMEN RECEIVING BROMOCRYPTINE

Abstract

Five women receiving 7.5 mg of bromocryptine (CB-154) daily were given HMG [human menopausal gonadotropin] at a dose of 300 IU/day, from day 5 to day 10 postdelivery. In all women serum estradiol and urinary estrogens showed no significant elevation within the 2 wk after delivery. Serum prolactin was elevated in all cases and fell to normal nonpregnant levels immediately after CB-154 was administered. The suggestion that prolactin may possess antigonadotropic activity at the ovarian level is not supported. The deficient ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation could be due to either the intraovarian effect of the high amounts of circulating steroids produced during gestation or to some unknown mechanism.