Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Uterine leiomyomas are noncancerous smooth muscle neoplasms that occur in up to 70% of women and the single most common cause of hysterectomy. There is a variety of treatments available for uterine leiomyomas, including medications, uterine artery embolization, myomectomy, and hysterectomy but surgi...

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Main Authors: Danielle A. Aase, Elizabeth A. Stewart
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2025-01-01
Series:Women's Health Reports
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Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0013
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author Danielle A. Aase
Elizabeth A. Stewart
author_facet Danielle A. Aase
Elizabeth A. Stewart
author_sort Danielle A. Aase
collection DOAJ
description Uterine leiomyomas are noncancerous smooth muscle neoplasms that occur in up to 70% of women and the single most common cause of hysterectomy. There is a variety of treatments available for uterine leiomyomas, including medications, uterine artery embolization, myomectomy, and hysterectomy but surgical treatments predominate. Medical optimization of anemia is often required prior to surgical treatment secondary to heavy menstrual bleeding and resultant iron deficiency anemia from chronic blood loss. While iron and multivitamins are critical to increase hemoglobin, pharmacologic therapy to suppress menstrual bleeding is often needed. First line therapy is typically a trial of combined oral contraceptive pills (OCPs); however, this may not be effective in all patients. Parenteral administration of long-acting GnRH agonists is often used as a second line treatment; however, these agents can lead to an initial “flare” effect precipitating a heavy bleed during the agonist phase which can be problematic in such patients. An alternative course of action is the use of oral GnRH antagonist combination therapy (OGAC) with estradiol and norethindrone, an option approved in both the United States and the European Union for long-term treatment of leiomyoma-related heavy menstrual bleeding. To demonstrate the clinical utility of OGAC therapy in the preoperative setting, we report a successful patient outcome and review relevant literature.
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spelling doaj-art-5d7a620131fc4f77ac32cb1be22520652025-08-20T01:50:53ZengMary Ann LiebertWomen's Health Reports2688-48442025-01-016134134310.1089/whr.2025.0013Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual BleedingDanielle A. Aase0Elizabeth A. Stewart1Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.Uterine leiomyomas are noncancerous smooth muscle neoplasms that occur in up to 70% of women and the single most common cause of hysterectomy. There is a variety of treatments available for uterine leiomyomas, including medications, uterine artery embolization, myomectomy, and hysterectomy but surgical treatments predominate. Medical optimization of anemia is often required prior to surgical treatment secondary to heavy menstrual bleeding and resultant iron deficiency anemia from chronic blood loss. While iron and multivitamins are critical to increase hemoglobin, pharmacologic therapy to suppress menstrual bleeding is often needed. First line therapy is typically a trial of combined oral contraceptive pills (OCPs); however, this may not be effective in all patients. Parenteral administration of long-acting GnRH agonists is often used as a second line treatment; however, these agents can lead to an initial “flare” effect precipitating a heavy bleed during the agonist phase which can be problematic in such patients. An alternative course of action is the use of oral GnRH antagonist combination therapy (OGAC) with estradiol and norethindrone, an option approved in both the United States and the European Union for long-term treatment of leiomyoma-related heavy menstrual bleeding. To demonstrate the clinical utility of OGAC therapy in the preoperative setting, we report a successful patient outcome and review relevant literature.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0013gynecologyGnRH antagonistleiomyomamyomectomy
spellingShingle Danielle A. Aase
Elizabeth A. Stewart
Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Women's Health Reports
gynecology
GnRH antagonist
leiomyoma
myomectomy
title Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
title_full Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
title_fullStr Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
title_full_unstemmed Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
title_short Use of Oral Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist Combinations for Preoperative Management of Refractory Leiomyoma-Related Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
title_sort use of oral gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist combinations for preoperative management of refractory leiomyoma related heavy menstrual bleeding
topic gynecology
GnRH antagonist
leiomyoma
myomectomy
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2025.0013
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