The role of salivary progesterone in studies of infertile women.

Fifteen women with normal menstrual cycles, dated by accepted criteria, had salivary progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase of the cycle which were significantly higher than those in the follicular phase. Progesterone concentrations in matched samples of plasma and saliva showed excellent correlation in both normal and infertile women. Salivary progesterone profiles derived from daily sampling of 20 infertile patients not only allowed accurate assessment of ovarian dysfunction but also indicated more effectively than conventional techniques the change in hormonal status following ovulation induction therapy with clomiphene citrate or bromocriptine.