Transdermal estrogen replacement in ovarian failure for ovum donation.

This study examined the efficacy of transdermal estradiol (TE2) replacement versus oral estradiol (OE2) through evaluation of peripheral steroid levels, endometrial morphology, and clinical outcome in six patients with ovarian failure. Patients were begun on sequential E2 and progesterone replacement with transdermal E2 patches. Endometrial biopsies were done on day 21 of the first replacement cycle and day 26 of the second cycle. Controls were 28 cycles on a regular 28-day micronized OE2 protocol. No significant difference was found between E2 levels throughout the cycle of the two respective stimulation protocols, except for days 12 to 14, when the OE2 protocol produced significantly lower E2 than did the TE2 protocol (P less than 0.01). A positive, highly significant correlation was found between estrone (E1) and E2 values in the OE2 group (r = 0.92) (P less than 0.003). During OE2 administration, E1 was significantly higher than E2 (P less than 0.01). E1 was not found to be higher than E2 in the TE2 group, resulting in a significant difference in the E2/E1 ratio of 1.59 +/- 1.6 for TE2 compared with 0.13 +/- .04 for OE2 (P less than 0.05). Early biopsies in patients on TE2 revealed glandular components that were dated as day 18.2 +/- 1.7, while the stroma was dated as day 21.8 +/- 0.8, a statistically significant disparity (P less than 0.01). In patients on OE2, the same significant 3-day glandular/stromal disparity was observed (P less than 0.05). Morphologic evaluation of late biopsy specimens revealed day 25.0 +/- 0.8 and 24.5 +/- 1.5 for TE2 and OE2 groups, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)