Use and Effectiveness of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Agonists for Prophylactic Menstrual Suppression in Postmenarchal Women Who Undergo Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Study objective: To describe the rates of use and effectiveness of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists and other forms of hormonal menstrual suppression in prevention of vaginal bleeding among young women who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT).

Design: Retrospective descriptive study.

Setting: University-based pediatric HCT practice.

Participants: Fifty-five postmenarchal women who underwent HCT between 2004 and 2011.

Interventions: Administration of GnRH agonists or other forms of hormonal menstrual suppression.

Main outcome measures: Rates of use of GnRH agonists and other forms of hormonal menstrual suppression, and rates and descriptions of vaginal bleeding.

Results: Forty-six of the 55 patients had experienced regular or irregular vaginal bleeding before HCT and were considered to be at risk for thrombocytopenia-associated menorrhagia. Forty of the 46 (87%) received hormonal menstrual suppression. Thirty-three patients were treated with a GnRH agonist, 4 with combined hormonal contraceptive pills, 1 with a combined hormonal contraceptive patch, 1 with depot medroxyprogesterone, and 1 with oral norethindrone. Twenty-nine of the 33 patients (88%) who received a GnRH agonist had complete amenorrhea during HCT and 4 of 33 (12%) experienced some degree of vaginal bleeding.

Conclusion: GnRH agonists appear effective in prevention of vaginal bleeding complications in most postmenarchal women who underwent HCT. Some patients who might benefit do not receive a GnRH agonist and multiple barriers exist in identification and treatment of them.