Health Library Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) for InfertilityFrom Healthwise

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is produced by the hypothalamus. It stimulates the pituitary gland to produce luteinizing hormone (LH) and, to a lesser extent, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).

GnRH treatment is commonly used:

• When clomiphene (Clomid) treatment has not stimulated egg follicles to develop on the ovaries.

GnRH works most effectively when used to replace the natural GnRH in women and men whose bodies do not produce enough of it. GnRH may be given:

• To a woman who is not ovulating because her hypothalamus is not stimulating hormones that trigger ovulation (hypothalamic amenorrhea).
• To a man who is not producing sperm because his hypothalamus is not stimulating the hormones that trigger sperm production.

GnRH use results in few multiple pregnancies (usually twins).

About 1% to 2% of infertile men have a gonadotropin insufficiency. GnRH is an effective treatment for this specific condition.¹

• Itching and redness at the site of the IV (intravenous) catheter.
• Infection at the site of the IV catheter.
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (rare)

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

GnRH poses less risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome than does human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), another treatment for ovulation problems. The small pump used for GnRH may be bothersome to some people, and hMG treatment requires daily monitoring by a doctor.

GnRH is used very rarely for women who have no menstrual cycle because of a hypothalamus problem (hypothalamic amenorrhea). Some reproductive endocrinologists might try human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) instead of GnRH.

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Citations

1. Khorram O, et al. (2001). Reproductive technologies for male infertility. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 86(6): 2373–2379.

Author:	Bets Davis, MFA Sandy Jocoy, RN	Last Updated: March 21, 2008
Medical Review:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
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