Advances in Fertility Control and the Treatment of Sterility : The Proceedings of a Special Symposium Held at the XIth World Congress on Fertility and Sterility, Dublin, June 1983

Since human prolactin was isolated and characterized 13 years ago, the study of the control of prolactin secretion has been intensive. Hyperprolactinaemia is the most commonly identifiable hypothal amic pituitary disorder1,2. The dominant inhibitory nature of hypo thalamic control of prolactin secretion may be the reason that hyperprolactinaemia is such a common condition. During the PClst decade two separate therapeutic approaches to the management of hyperprolactinaemia have been introduced: transsphenoidal selec tive pituitary microsurgery and medical therapy to suppress prolactin secretion with orally active long-acting dopamine agonist drugs. Small prolactin-secreting tumours are treated extremely satisfactorily both with medical and with surgical therapy, both in terms of lower ing serum prolactin levels to normal and in restoring gonadal func tion. However, for the larger tumours, either where the tumour is invasive or the pretreatment serum prolactin level is greater than 1 250ngml- the results of surgery are poor in terms of restoring to normal circulating prolactin levels and gonadal functionJ-s. We now discuss the medical management of hyperprolactinaemia, potential problems during pregnancy and the management of large prolactin secreting pituitary tumours Front Matter....Pages 1-9 Pre-treatment evaluation of ovarian infertility....Pages 11-21 Hyperprolactinaemic infertility: some considerations on medical management....Pages 23-35 Lisuride — a new drug for treatment of hyperprolactinaemic disorders....Pages 37-49 Benefits and risks of hormonal contraception — interpretation....Pages 51-56 Towards safer oral contraception....Pages 57-59 The influence of the triphasic pill and a desogestrel-containing combination pill on some physical, biochemical and hormonal parameters: a preliminary report....Pages 61-69 Clinical comparison between a monophasic preparation and a triphasic preparation....Pages 71-79 Comparative study of lipid metabolism and endocrine function in women receiving levonorgestrel- and desogestrel-containing oral contraceptives....Pages 81-87 Androgenic properties of progestogens used in oral contraceptives....Pages 89-98 Effect of oral contraceptives upon serum lipoprotein pattern in healthy women....Pages 99-105 Carbohydrate metabolism alterations with monophasic, sequential and triphasic oral contraceptives containing ethinyloestradiol plus levonorgestrel or desogestrel....Pages 107-111 Back Matter....Pages 113-117