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Effects of sequential treatment with estradiol and PGF2α on the length of the primate menstrual cycle

1974; Elsevier BV; Volume: 6; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0090-6980(74)80052-3

1878-416X

Abubakar A. Shaikh, Edward L. Klaiber,

Ovarian function and disorders

A total of 27 monkeys (M. Fascicularis) whose control cycle lengths ranged from 28 to 32 days were used in this study. All the treatments described below started either on day 17 or 18 of the cycle. Six monkeys received daily injections of 20 μg estradiol-17β (E2) for 5 consecutive days. Although a drop in blood progesterone (P) did occur due to this treatment, no shortening of the luteal phase of the cycle was recorded. Seven monkeys received daily injections of 15 mg PGF2α (prostaglandin-F2α) for 4 or 5 days. These monkeys also showed a drop in blood P levels; moreover 5 of these monkeys had vaginal bleeding for 2–3 days starting either on day 19 or 20 of the cycle. This bleeding did not appear to be a normal physiological menstrual flow, since all of the monkeys commenced menstrual flow at the expected time. Four monkeys received daily injections of 10 mg P for 3 days. These monkeys also had normal cycle lengths in spite of the treatment. Finally 9 monkeys received daily injections of 20 μg E2 for 3 days, and starting on the third day of E2 treatment these monkeys also received injections of 15 mg PGF2α for 4 or 5 days. Shortened cycle lengths were recorded in 8/9 monkeys in this group. Six monkeys had 22-day cycles, 2 monkeys had 24-day cycles and the remaining monkey had a cycle length of 26 days. Thus 8/9 monkeys had shortened luteal phases due to sequential treatment of E2 and PGF2α. The cycle lengths in all the treatment groups were normal subsequent to treatments. These results provide potentially useful information for further studies in the human as a method of contraception.