A rapid method for ovulation detection.

Uronic acid (UA) content in whole urine showed a characteristic pattern of fluctuations during menstrual cycle (24 cycles) with a distinct peak on the day of ovulation (midcycle peak 1043 + 68 micrograms/ml urine. This peak of maximal UA concentration was validated by ultrasonography (abdominal and/or vaginal scanner and basal body temperature. In hormonal induced menstrual cycle (5 cycles) a significant decrease in Ua concentrations were observed during the follicular phase (20%) and in the midcycle peak (11%) when they were compared with the same values in the normal cycle. Nevertheless, two days after the ovulation peak occurs a second peak can be observed (1344 + 799 micrograms UA/ml urine). On the other hand in the anovulatory cycles (5 cycles) the same diminishing behavior in the UA concentrations were observed in both phases of the cycle (50-60%) with the expected lack of the midcycle peak. Results that clearly show that UA excretion in urine reflect a excellent correlation with the menstrual cycle allowing us to propose this technique as an accurate and reliable method to detect ovulation.

Presence of ethynyl-estradiol (EE-2) in blood and endometrium after interrupting steroidal contraception for three months.

Serial studies were conducted in five women under norgestrel + EE-2 after interrupting 11-34 months of regular use of the medication. A venous blood and an endometrial sample were simultaneously obtained from each subject between the 22nd and 25th day of the pseudocycle (last month of contraception) and on the same days of the following three cycles under no treatment for the measurement of EE-2 content. Values during and after the first month of no medication were: plasma = 85 +/- 6 versus 218 +/- 36 (pg/ml; P less than 0.001) and endometrium = 93 +/- 10 versus 29 +/- 7 (ng/g wet tissue; P less than 0.001). A decrement of circulating EE-2 from 346 pg/ml in the first month with no medication to 14 pg/ml in the third month off the treatment was observed. The EE-2 endometrial uptake of 93 +/- 10 (last month of steroidal ingestion) decreased to 29 +/- 7, 7 +/- 2 and 4 +/- 0.9 ng/g wet tissue in the following three months of no treatment. In 3/15 instances after interrupting contraception, circulating EE-2 was below the detection limit of the assay, while endometrial EE-2 uptake was in the range of 3-19 ng/g wet tissue. These data confirm our apparent controversial report that EE-2 plasma levels increased during the first month after interrupting medication and support the presence of the exogenous estrogen in plasma and endometrium after interrupting the steroidal contraceptive for three months.

[Hormonal tissue concentration and oral contraceptives: the endometrium]. / Concentración hormonal tisular y los anticonceptivos orales: el endometrio.

PIP: The study investigates hormonal control of the menstrual cycle, adrenal function role, and endouterine menstrual disorders by an analysis of peripheral hormones and of their concentration at endometrial level. The authors also present a new radioimmunoassay method for determining hormone presence in plasma and in the endometrium. 59 ovulatory cycles were considered, and ovarian hormones were found to be 10-20 times higher in tissue than in plasma, but not in women under sequential or combined oral contraceptive treatment. The relation between endometrial estrogens and progesterone with plasma follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels is discussed, together with the significance of tissue hormone concentration.^ieng

Hormonal content of plasma and endometrium of women taking oral contraceptives.

A total of 134 women were studied, 75 of whom were using cyclic steroid contraception (ethinyl estradiol, 0.05 mg plus norgestrel, 0.5 mg) and 59 of whom had normal ovaulatory cycles. By radioimmunoassay techniques simultaneous determinations were made of total estrogens (TE) and progesterone (P) in both plasma and endometrium and of FSH and LH in plasma, covering all days of the pseudomenstrual and true menstrual cycles. As expected, the ovulating women showed a midcycle peak of plasma TE and an increase in plasma P thereafter, while no cyclic variations were observed in the treated group. Correlations of endometrial concentrations of TE and P with plasma FSH and LH levels are discussed. In 13 of the 75 treated women elevations of endometrial P concentrations were present, presumably demonstrating the "escape phenomenon." The possible future value of endometrial hormone determinations is suggested.