Single daily monitoring of periovulatory estradiol, progesterone, and luteinizing sera hormone levels in natural cycles useful for timing intrauterine insemination.

Single daily periovulatory serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) may be useful to predict the time of ovulation, since serum P is known to rise to 1000 pg/mL about 24 h after the LH surge. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) was performed based on the serum P level at the time of the LH surge; if sera P measures < 1000 pg/mL, then IUI is performed 36-40 h later; but if P is > or = 1000 pg/mL, IUI is performed 12-20 h later. The relationship of sera LH, E2, and P levels and follicular diameter were evaluated at the time of the LH surge and the day before in 40 women with cervical factor who conceived following a single IUI. If E2 levels were obtained the day before and the day of the LH surge and measured < 200 or > or = 200 pg/mL, a shorter interval for the IUI was suggested. The 27% pregnancy rate/cycle suggests that measurement of single daily periovulatory hormonal levels are useful for precise timing of IUI.