(hMG) A mixture of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) extracted for therapeutic use from the urine of menopausal women (women after the menopause normally produce these hormones in high concentration). Marketed as Humegon (Organon) and Pergonal (Serono). Metrodin (Serono) is hMG from which LH has been removed, and Metrodin HP (Serono) is Metrodin from which other urinary proteins have been removed too, resulting in very pure FSH. Ferring market a highly purified hMG containing both FSH and LH, but not in Australia (see Menogon or Repronex). No cases of transmitted (infectious) disease have been recorded after the use of hMG preparations, unlike human pituitary gonadotropin.

(FSH) The hormone, or gonadotropin, produced by the pituitary gland that in women stimulates the tertiary follicle to grow; in men it stimulates spermatogenesis. Obtained from human sources in a mixture with luteinising hormone (LH) as (1) human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), extracted from the urine of women who have been through the menopause (Humegon, Metrodin and Pergonal); and (2) human pituitary gonadotropin (hPG), from human pituitary glands removed at autopsies (now obsolete). Today, pure FSH is made synthetically with gene technology (recombinant FSH), such as Gonal-F and Puregon.

Mixture of human menopausal gonadotropins containing follicle stimulating hormone made by Organon; virtually equivalent to Pergonal.

Highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin made by Ferring, and comparable to Metrodin HP. Called Repronex in the US. Not available in Australia.

Human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) from which luteinising hormone (LH) has largely been removed, leaving follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) as the active substance. Metrodin HP (Fertinex in the US) is more purified, other urinary proteins having been extracted too, and (unlike Metrodin) has no LH activity at all. Made by Serono.

Mixture of human menopausal gonadotropins containing follicle stimulating hormone made by Serono; virtually equivalent to Humegon.

(rFSH) Follicle stimulating hormone derived from genetic engineering instead of being extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women (human menopausal gonadotropin, or hMG) or from the pituitary glands of cadavers (human pituitary gonadotropin, or hPG). Produced and marketed by the two pharmaceutical companies Organon (as Puregon), or Fertinex in the US and Serono (as Gonal-F) to replace their hMG preparations. Has the advantage over hMG (and its purified derivatives) of being standard in biological structure and activity, and of not being of a human source (hPG -- but not hMG -- having been implicated in transmission of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease).

Highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin made by Ferring. Called Menogon or Menopur outside the US.

Measurement of follicle stimulating hormone in serum. Useful at the time of menstruation for indicating a significantly decreased number of eggs in the ovaries in the few years leading up to menopause (that is, indicative of depletion of eggs or primary ovarian failure); Continuously high in women after menopause, and then excreted in high amounts in the urine (from which, in turn human menopausal gonadotropin is derived).