The pituitary reserve in FSH and LH in amenorrheic and anovulatory women.

The pituitary gonadotropic response of FSH and LH "reserve" was studied in ten normal women, twelve amenorrheic and two impuberal patients, as compared with six sterile women with anovulatory cycles. The method as the intravenous injection of 100 microgrs. of synthetic porcine LH-RH followed by the radioimmunologic estimation of FSH and LH in plasms, before and after 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. This method allows an accurate estimation of the capacity of the adenohypophysis to release gonadotropins, the so called gonadotropic reserve. There are observed four types fo gonadotropic response to the LH-RH injection. Anovulatory sterile women and prepuberal girls have a very similar pattern with normal or very decreased FSH reserve and marked diminution in LH levels. Primary amenorrhea due to ovarian failure presents basal high values of both gonadotropins and increased response to the LH-RH stimulation. In primary amenorrhea without ovarian failure and in secondary amenorrhea, the LH patterns were normal, but in some cases a slight decrease in the FSH curve was observed. The method is regarded as very useful in the diagnosipothalumus-Pituitary-Ovary) Axis.