Laparoscopic ovarian diathermy in the management of anovulatory infertility in women with polycystic ovaries: endocrine changes and clinical outcome

Twenty-one nulliparous oligomenorrheic women with polycystic ovaries, complaining of infertility (mean duration 6 years) refractory to medical treatment, underwent laparoscopic ovarian diathermy. Eleven had adhesions and/or endometriosis. Regular ovulatory cycles ensued in 17 women (81%). In 9 responders there was a transient rise in mean follicle-stimulating hormone from 5.0±0.4 (standard error of the mean [SEM]) to 6.7±0.5 mIU/mL on postoperative day 1 and a fall in testosterone from 2.6±0.2 to 1.9±0.2 nmol/L by day 8. Luteinizing hormone fell from 19±1.2 to 10.4±1.2 mIU/mL by the follicular phase of the next cycle. Eleven women have conceived 13 pregnancies; 3 miscarried, 7 were delivered at term and 3 are ongoing. Ovarian diathermy is a useful option in women with polycystic ovaries complaining of refractory anovulatory infertility.