Leuprolide acetate: Serum and follicular fluid concentrations and effects on human fertilization, embryo growth, and granulosa-lutein cell progesterone accumulation in vitro

Data from various animal models have demonstrated significant extrapituitary effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of therapeutic concentrations of leuprolide acetate on human granulosa-lutein cell steroidogenesis, fertilization, and embryo growth rates in vitro. During leuprolide administration, mean serum concentrations of leuprolide were < 50 ng/ml and were undetectable 48 hours after cessation of administration. There was no effect of leuprolide on progesterone (P) secretion by granulosa-lutein cells cultured in the presence or absence of human chorionic gonadotropin. The effect of leuprolide on embryo growth rates was evaluated with the mouse two-cell embryo culture model and a retrospective review of early embryo growth rates in humans receiving adjunctive leuprolide therapy. There was no measureable effect of leuprolide on early embryo growth in either species. These data indicate that (1) serum and follicular and peritoneal fluid concentrations are undetectable 2 days after discontinuation of leuprolide; (2) there is no measurable effect of leuprolide on human or murine embryo growth rates up to the 8 cell stage in vitro; and (3) there is no measurable effect of leuprolide on granulosa-lutein cell P accumulation.