Successful pregnancy and birth after sequential cotreatment with growth hormone and gonadotropins in a woman with panhypopituitarism: a new treatmentprotocol

Objective: To report a successful pregnancy in a woman with panhypopituitar ism who received 3 months of pretreatment with growth hormone (GH) before o vulation induction. Prior attempts at ovulation induction had failed for th is patient. Design: Case report. Setting: Department of Endocrinology. Patient(s): A 32-year-old woman with panhypopituitarism and secondary infer tility. Intervention(s): GH (1 IU/day) alone for 3 months; during the next cycle, 1 IU/day of GH; 3 ampules of hMG per day during days 1-21; 1 ampule of hCG o n day 21. GH was discontinued on day 35 when a pregnancy test was positive. Main Outcome Measure(s): Pregnancy and delivery. Results: Pregnancy and birth of a normal child after a single ovulation sti mulation using GH and gonadotropins. Conclusion(s): This case report suggests interest in a new protocol for fol licular stimulation in women with hypopituitarism who are responding poorly to gonadotropin therapy. (Fertil Steril(R) 2000;74:1248-50. (C) 2000 by Am erican Society for Reproductive Medicine).