The study aimed to investigate the effects of diabetes and insulin resistance on gonadotropins and corpus luteum function in female rats. Female Sprague Dawley rats (130 -150g) were divided into two categories and made diabetic by single intravenous injection of alloxan (40 mg/kg) and insulin resistant by fructose feeding (25% fructose). Rats were anaesthetized, followed by laparatomy. Blood was obtained by cardiac puncture for measurement of LH, FSH, oestrogen and progesterone concentrations by radioimmunoassay. Ovary was isolated, weighed, fixed in 10% formol saline and processed for histological studies.

Serum FSH was significantly higher in experimental groups of animals while serum LH was not significantly different in the 3 groups. Serum oestrogen was significantly higher in alloxan-induced and inuslin resistant groups while serum progesterone was not significantly different. Ovarian weight was significantly reduced in alloxan-induced and insulin resistant groups. Ovarian histology confirms insulin resistance as a common feature of polycystic ovary syndrome thus predisposes to infertility. We conclude that diabetes mellitus alters corpus luteum functions and predisposes to polycystic ovary syndrome in female rats.