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Oestrogen and progesterone are promoters of uterine leiomyoma growth: oestrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) are over-expressed in these tumours. Paradoxically, there is a heterogeneity in responsiveness of leiomyoma growth to oestrogen and progesterone in culture. In this study, leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium were obtained at hysterectomy. The effect of oestrogen and progesterone on steroid receptor maintenance was examined using minced explants. Quantitative enzyme-linked immunoassay and Northern analysis were performed to assess ER and PR protein and mRNA content respectively. There was an approximately 75% decrease in ER and PR protein content within 8 h of incubation in both leiomyoma and myometrium. The presence or absence of oestrogen and/or progesterone had no effect on receptor protein loss. Northern analysis indicated a parallel loss of ER and PR mRNA transcripts. These findings suggest that the ER and PR expression in leiomyoma may require other extracellular factors. In-vitro studies designed to test the effects of sex steroids and their respective inhibitors on growth and function of leiomyoma and myometrial cells should consider this phenomenon.

To determine the effectiveness of a 3-month course of nafarelin and, furthermore, to determine the long-term efficacy in patients treated for 3 and 6 months with nafarelin for symptoms associated with endometriosis.Double-blind, prospective, multicenter, clinical trial.Fifteen reproductive endocrine clinics throughout the United States.One hundred seventy-nine women with pelvic pain and endometriosis.Patients were assigned randomly to 3 months nafarelin followed by 3 months of placebo (n = 91) or to 6 months nafarelin (n = 88) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind multicenter trial. Patients were followed for 12 months after cessation of therapy.Patient-reported pain scores and physician-reported physical exam findings.Pain scores dropped significantly by the end of treatment in both groups. Symptoms recurred in both groups, and pain scores gradually increased during the follow-up period but always remained below baseline in both groups. No significant difference in efficacy was noted between the groups. A total of 26% of patients in each group underwent retreatment for recurrent symptoms.A 3-month course of nafarelin provided effective symptom relief for endometriosis. One year follow-up demonstrated continued pain relief but with gradual return of symptoms.

To investigate the role of transcervical tubal catheterization in diagnosis and treatment of proximal tubal obstruction associated with salpingitis isthmica nodosa.Retrospective case study.University hospital and outpatient radiology practice.Fifty-two women with proximal tubal obstruction associated with salpingitis isthmica nodosa.Selective salpingography and catheter recanalization using fluoroscopic guidance.The number of tubes visualized to the fimbria as a percentage of the tubes with proximal tubal obstruction on the initial hysterosalpingogram was determined as a measure of diagnostic efficacy. To evaluate the treatment potential of catheter recanalization, the patients were grouped according to tubal status at the conclusion of the procedure and subsequent pregnancies were evaluated.Forty-seven of 65 tubes (72%) with proximal tubal obstruction were recanalized successfully. Among the 19 women who were able to conceive only via a recanalized salpingitis isthmica nodosa tube, there were 6 live births (32%) and two tubal pregnancies (10%).Selective salpingography allows complete tubal diagnosis in almost three fourths of patients with proximal tubal obstruction and salpingitis isthmica nodosa. The radiographic diagnosis of salpingitis isthmica nodosa may be pressure dependent. Intrauterine pregnancies occur via recanalized salpingitis isthmica nodosa tubes, therefore catheter recanalization may be attempted before tubal microsurgery or IVF in patients with proximal tubal obstruction and associated salpingitis isthmica nodosa.

Several studies on artificial insemination by donor (AID) semen have suggested that the gender of infants can be influenced by treatment of the women with clomiphene citrate (CC) and by the type of semen used (fresh versus cryopreserved). We conducted a 3-year prospective clinical trial to test these hypotheses. Two groups of pregnant women were evaluated. Group I (n = 130) comprised women whose ovulation was induced by CC; group II (n = 190) comprised those who conceived during spontaneous ovulatory cycles. In a total of 320 pregnancies, 55 spontaneous abortions occurred, 23.1% in group I and 13.2% in group II (P less than or equal to 0.05). Two tubal ectopic pregnancies occurred in group I. Of the 100 and 165 pregnancies carried to term in the treated and control groups, respectively, 11% and 1.8% involved twins (P less than or equal to 0.005). When only single births were considered, group I had 46.1% males in 89 term pregnancies, and group II had 60.5% males in 162 term pregnancies. Significantly more female offspring occurred in the group treated with CC (P less than or equal to 0.05). Because it is possible that a portion of the effects observed in this study were a function of cryopreservation of the AID semen, we compared data on frozen sperm with data on fresh sperm in terms of abortion, gender, and incidence of multiple births; there were no significant differences. Fertil Steril 40:481, 1983.

This study was designed to determine the efficacy of using OCs prior to ovulation induction in an IVF-ET program. A total of 26 cycles were initiated after gonadotropin suppression with OCs and 22 laparoscopies (84.6%) were performed. A pregnancy rate of 22.7% per laparoscopy and 23.8% per ET was achieved. The results suggest that the use of OCs to regulate oocyte retrieval can result in acceptable pregnancy rates and facilitate efficient time use of IVF-ET personnel.