Human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit--like immunoreactive material in the plasma of women wearing an intrauterine progesterone contraceptive system.

A systematic study of the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit--like (hCG beta-like) material in the plasma of one woman sampled daily throughout one menstrual cycle and in nine women studied on a selected bleeding schedule has been carried out. Peaks of immunoreactive hCG beta-like activity were found in the follicular and luteal phases of these menstrual cycles which could not be explained by a cross-reaction of luteinizing hormone (LH) in the plasma. The same nine women were studied again 1 month after the insertion of the intrauterine progesterone contraceptive system (IPCS) and again 6 to 8 months later. Although the presence of hCG beta-like immunoactivity correlated with LH values in the cycles studied, there was a significant decrease in its presence 1 month after IPCS use and a highly significant decrease after 6 to 8 months of use.