Submitted by Shelby D Burns Tue 02/18/2014
Woman Menotropins are a mixture of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) which are produced in the pituitary gland. FSH FSH is responsible for stimulating growth of the ovarian follicle. This includes the developing egg, the cells surrounding the egg which produce more hormones necessary for pregnancy, and the fluid around the egg. As the follicle grows, an increasing amount of estrogen is produced in the cells of the follicle and then released into the bloodstream. Estrogen causes the endometrium to thicken before ovulation occurs in preparation for a fertilized egg. The higher blood levels of estrogen also cue the hypothalamus and pituitary gland to slow the production of FSH. LH LH also contributes to the increased amount of estrogen produced by follicle cells. The main function of LH though is to cause ovulation to occur. The spike in blood level of LH that triggers ovulation is called the “LH surge”. After ovlulation, the hormone-producing follicle cells become the corpus luteum which produces estrogen and large amounts of progesterone. Progesterone is responsible for causing the endometrium to mature so that it can support the implantation of the fertilized egg. If implantation does not occur, hormone levels decrease and the endometrium sloughs off as menstruation. Menotropins Menotropins are usually given in combination with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). hCG’s purpose is almost the same as LH. It is given to stimulate and LH surge. Ovulation then occurs. Many women who use menotropins have tried clomiphene and had no success. Menotropins are also used to produce several follicles which help if harvesting multiple eggs for gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Men can also use menotropins to stimulate the production of sperm for some forms of infertility. Source: Mayo Clinic
