An open study of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonists in infertile women with uterine fibroids

Twenty infertile women with fibroids were treated with luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonists (LHRHa) to investigate if the use of these drugs, both with and without myomectomy, was effective in contributing to pregnancy in these women. All women had fibroids as their sole cause for infertility. Seven women conceived within 1 year of myomectomy or LHRHa treatment alone without myomectomy. The overall pregnancy rate was 36% and the postmyomectomy pregnancy rate was 50% Initial fibroid size and extent of fibroid shrinkage on LHRHa therapy made no difference to the subsequent pregnancy rate. We also found no significant interaction between the number of fibroids present and the effect of myomectomy on the proportion of pregnancies. We conclude that the fertility enhancing value of myomectomy in otherwise idiopathic infertility is confirmed, and that the use of LHRHa premyomectomy in infertile women needs to be investigated in randomized controlled trials to assess its value as a preoperative therapy.