[Postovulatory hormones in plasma, peritoneal and follicular compartments]

Eleven women with dysovulatory or unexplained sterility were treated by induction of ovulation and compared with a control group of seven normal women. Laparoscopy was carried out 48 hours after HCG had been injected or after the LH peak in the first group. 48 hours after the rise in temperature in the second group ovulation was presumed and aestradiol 17 beta, progesterone. Delta 4 androstenedione, FSH, LH, prolactin and cyclic AMP estimated in the plasma, the peritoneal fluid and fluid from the persistent follicles. A corpus luteum of recent formation was found in group 1, 5 out of 7 times, and only 7 out of 11 times in group 2. The question of whether non-ruptured luteinised follicles exist is discussed in view of these anatomical and hormonal level findings. These show that there is a good correlation in both groups between aestradiol 17 beta and progesterone, whether estimated in the plasma or in peritoneal fluid. On the other hand, there was poor evidence of correlation between the levels of steroids in each compartment as compared with the other. Finally, the curves for the different steroid levels are important when concentrations of hormones in the follicles, the peritoneal fluid and the plasma are compared. Conclusions have been suggested about the origin of the different steroids and their movement from compartment to compartment.