Hormonal and ultrastructural observations in a case of resistant ovary syndrome

This report describes in detail the hormonal and ultrastructural findings in a 21 year old woman with secondary amenorrhoea, who fulfilled all the criteria necessary to establish the diagnosis of resistant ovary syndrome. Ovarian biopsies revealed numerous primordial and primary follicles, which both by light and electron microscopy showed a normal morphology. Nevertheless, the follicles could not be stimulated neither by large doses of human gonadotrophins alone nor by simultaneous administration of cortisone acetate and large doses of human gonadotrophins. The association of a decreased target cell response with increased levels of serum FSH and LH might be explained in different ways. The presence of an inhibitor preventing the normal action of gonadotrophins could not be substantiated, because we did not detect any circulating gonadotrophin antibodies. Furthermore the serum prolactin level was normal.