Recruitment for Research Studies
Clinical Research Studies for PCOS
The Center for Research in Reproduction is currently recruiting women with PCOS, as well as adolescents with and without hyperandrogenemia (elevated levels for male hormones), for clinical research studies to determine the cause of PCOS.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Studies for Adolescents
Center for Research in Reproduction is seeking young female volunteers that have been diagnosed with hyperandrogenism, PCOS, or hirsutism (fascial hair) ages 10 to 17. Participants must have not taken contraceptive pills or hormonal medications for 3 months prior to the study. The goal is to learn how suppression of progesterone changes luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency. Participation in this study will require 7 study visits over 2-4 months. The 1st (screening) visit would last about 1.5 hours – to make sure your daughter qualifies for the study and that it is safe for her to participate. Four outpatient visit that will last about 30 minutes each and two overnight admissions at the Clinical Research Unit that will last about 17 hours (2:00PM to 7:00AM). We will monitor hormone levels during this admission. Volunteers will take spironolactone or a placebo twice daily for a minimum of 2 weeks and up to 40 days prior to an overnight admission and three doses of progesterone on the day of the overnight admission. Compensation for completion is $500.
Contact: Melissa Gilrain at pcos@virginia.edu or (434) 243-6911 for more information.
- The goal is to assess whether elevated levels of testosterone influences suppression of LH pulses by progesterone.
- We are recruiting girls who are Tanner stage 3-5 (and ≤ 4 years post-menarche).
- This study requires 3 brief outpatient visits and two 20-hour (overnight) admissions (4pm-noon).
- Subjects will take four oral doses of placebo and four oral doses of physiologic progesterone.
- Compensation is a $500 gift card.
Contact: Melissa Gilrain at pcos@virginia.edu or (434) 243-6911 for more information.
Center for Research in Reproduction is seeking young female volunteers that have been diagnosed with hyperandrogenism, PCOS, or hirsutism (facial hair) ages 10 to 17. Participants must have not taken contraceptive pills or hormonal medications for 3 months prior to the study. The goal is to learn if a medication called spironolactone (which blocks the effects of testosterone) can slow down LH pulses at night. Participation in this study will require 7 study visits over 3-4 months. The 1st (screening) visit would last about 1.5 hours – to make sure your daughter qualifies for the study and that it is safe for her to participate. Four outpatient visit that will last about 30 minutes each and two overnight admissions at the Clinical Research Unit that will last about 17 hours (2:00PM to 7:00AM). We will monitor hormone levels during this admission. Volunteers will take spironolactone or a placebo twice daily for a minimum of 2 weeks and up to 60 days prior to an overnight admission. Compensation for completion is $500.
Contact: Melissa Gilrain at pcos@virginia.edu or (434) 243-6911 for more information.
Center for Research in Reproduction is seeking female volunteers with hyperandrogenism, PCOS, or hirsutism (facial hair) ages 13 to 19. Participants must not have taken contraceptive pills or hormonal medications for 3 months prior to the study. The goal is to learn if the medication Spironolactone can normalize ovulations rates in girls with androgen excess during the time when PCOS begins. Participation in this study will require 3 outpatient visits over 21 months. The 1st (screening) visit would last about 1 hour – to make sure that you qualify for the study and that it is safe to participate. Two outpatient visits will last about 1 hour each. Volunteers will keep track of their periods and collect saliva at home twice a week for the entire study. Volunteers will also take Spironolactone twice daily for 4 months. While taking medication, participants will check urine pregnancy at home once a month and have bloodwork done once a month. Compensation for completion is up to $550.
Contact: Melissa Gilrain at pcos@virginia.edu or (434) 243-6911 for more information.