Endometrial patterns in women on chronic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist treatment for contraception
Bergquist, C.; Nillius, S.J.; Wide, L.; Lindgren, A.
Fertility and Sterility 36(3): 339-342
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0015-0282 PMID: 6793403 DOI: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)45735-3Document Number: 386640
The risk of endometrial hyperplasia during long-term inhibition of ovulation by luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonist was investigated in 17 endometrial biopsy specimens from 12 22-36 year old women (mean age 29.6 years). The volunteers were treated for 13-55 weeks with a single daily 400 or 600 mcg dose of the the LH-RH agonist, D-Ser(TBU)6-EA10-LH-RH, administered intranasally. Endometrial biopsies were done after 78-380 days of treatment. Half of the women had amenorrhea and the other half had one or more episodes of uterine bleeding during treatment, but there was no dysfunctional bleeding. Biopsy specimens showed 6 inactive endometria and 9 weak proliferative endometria with slightly atrophic stoma. There were no signs of hyperplasia, glandular cysts, or atypia of the epithelium. Mean estradiol levels during treatment corresponded well with estradiol levels during the earlier follicular phases of the normal menstrual cycles. No pregnancies occurred. Ovulatory menstrual cycles rapidly returned after discontinuation of treatment; menstrual bleeding began an average of 45.3 days after treatment.