HYPERSECRETION OF LUTEINIZING-HORMONE AND THE POLYCYSTIC-OVARY-SYNDROME

Hypersecretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) is a significant cause of i nfertility and miscarriage in women with the polycystic ovary syndrome . Many theories have been suggested for the aetiology of pituitary ove rsecretion of LH. These include increased pulsatility of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) hypothalamic dysfunction, altered pituitary sensitivity to GnRH, hyperinsulinaemic stimulation of the pituitary gl and and perturbed ovarian-pituitary feedback of steroid hormones. None of these hypotheses fully explain the phenomenon of LH hypersecretion and there has been much debate in the literature on this subject. Thi s paper reviews some of the important clinical studies that have exami ned the evolving story of hypersecretion of LH and presents in-vivo an d in-vitro evidence that suggests that disordered ovarian-pituitary fe edback is central to the problem, possibly through a perturbed secreti on of nonsteroidal ovarian hormones.