Reproductive endocrine effects of intranasal administration of norethisterone to adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Intranasal administration of norethisterone at a daily dose of 9 micrograms between Days 5 and 14 of the menstrual cycles blocked ovulation in 10 out of 17 adult female monkeys. Serum concentrations of hormones indicated that ovulation was blocked due to a suppression of the mid-cycle, oestradiol-induced LH surge. Ovarian follicular activity in the treated menstrual cycles was not affected by norethisterone but there was a marked delay in the onset of the mid-cycle oestradiol surge in most of the treated animals. The duration of the menstrual cycle length after the oestradiol peak was significantly reduced in all the treated monkeys, indicative of a shortened luteal phase.