Treatment of uterine fibroids with agonist analogs of gonadotropin-releasing hormone

Agonist analogs of GnRH were used to effect a "medical castration" in 14 patients with uterine fibroids, presenting with either an enlarged uterus, recurrent menometrorrhagia, and/or infertility. This study confirms prior reports of a reduction in uterine size and cessation of menometrorrhagia in patients with fibroids following treatment with GnRHa. Of interest, however, was the successful use of GnRHa as either the sole treatment for uterine fibroid-associated infertility, or as a preoperative adjunct in infertility patients scheduled for myomectomy. Three of the five infertility patients in this study achieved intrauterine pregnancies. Further study of the role of GnRHa treatment in infertility patients with uterine fibroids appears warranted.