Male fertility treatments
Hypothalamic hormones
The anterior pituitary gland releases a range of hormones with various functions around the body.
Luteinising hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) are known as gonadotrophins because they act on the gonads (testes or ovaries) to release the sex hormones. The term luteinising hormone and follicle stimulating hormone refers to their actions on the ovaries, but it is the same hormone that affects the testes in men.
The amounts of LH and FSH released by the pituitary are very small. However there is a another natural source of gonadotrophins, which have a very similar structure and almost identical chemical function as FSH and LH.
hCG is secreted by the placenta of pregnant women. It is an early form of LH and is used by the developing foetus. Excess LH is readily excreted into the urine. A highly purified form of hCG can then be obtained from the urine.
Common trade names of hCG include Choragon (UK), Pregnyl (USA / UK), Chorex (USA) and Choron (USA).
hMG is sometimes referred to as menotrophin. It is a mixture of LH and FSH in equal quantities and is produced from the urine of menopausal women.
Common trade names of hMG include Menopur (UK) and Menogan (UK).
Even though these hormones are obtained from females, they are not 'female' hormones and have the correct function in both males and females.
Follitropin is a recombinant form of FSH. This means it is not naturally derived like hMG or hCG but produced synthetically. This means it is more expensive than hMG and hCG, but there is a greater supply of it.
Common trade names of follitropin include Gonal-F (UK), Puregon (UK), Follistim (USA) and Fertinex (USA).
In male treatment hCG might be given on its own first. Sometimes this can induce normal puberty if it is a case of delayed puberty rather than KS or HH. hCG on its own can stimulate testosterone production, but not sperm production. On its own it can also cause an increase in testicular size and sensitivity as they start to produce their own natural testosterone.
For sperm production, if fertility is required hMG is required or hCG in combination with a FSH medication.
It can take anything from 6 to 18 months for sperm production to commence. There is little indication on how well this type of treatment will work, it might take 12 read more
