Superovulation with exogenous gonadotropins does not inhibit the luteinizing hormone surge.

The administration of human chorionic gonadotropin to women undergoing superovulation with exogenous gonadotropins was delayed in order to document the occurrence of a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). An LH surge was seen to occur in 10 of 10 women receiving clomiphene citrate (CC) and pulsatile human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG); in 10 of 12 women treated with pulsatile hMG alone; and in 12 of 14 women treated with single daily injections of hMG without CC. The height of the surge was attenuated in all cycles and the timing of its onset was significantly earlier among women receiving single daily injections of hMG. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed.