TY - JOUR
TI - Small doses of LH activity are needed early in ovarian stimulation for
better quality oocytes in IVF-ET
AU - Drakakis, P
AU - Loutradis, D
AU - Kallianidis, K
AU - Liapi, A and
AU - Milingos, S
AU - Makrigiannakis, A
AU - Dionyssiou-Asteriou, A and
AU - Michalas, S
JO - EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS GYNECOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
PY - 2005
VL - 121
TODO - 1
SP - 77-80
PB - Elsevier Ireland Ltd
SN - 0301-2115
TODO - 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2004.12.021
TODO - exogenous LH; IVF-ET; oocyte quality; ovarian stimulation
TODO - Objective: To examine whether exogenous LH administration has a
beneficial effect on the quality of oocytes, fertilization potential, as
well as pregnancy rate in IVF-ET cycles. A randomized trial comparing
r-FSH versus r-FSH and LH was employed.
Study design: Forty-six infertile couples entering IVF-ET for the first
time (either tubal or male factor) were divided after prospective
randomization into two groups. In both groups the long protocol with
GnRH-analogs was used. In group A, ovarian stimulation started with rFSH
(200 IU/day) for the first four days. In group B, the stimulation
protocol started with one amp hMG (75 IU FSH + 75 IU LH activity) daily
for four days, with simultaneous administration of r-FSH (150 IU/day).
The outcome was compared.
Results: Statistical difference was observed in the number of mature
oocytes, the number of fertilized oocytes as well as the number of
transferable embryos. In all cases, results were statistically
significantly better (p < 0.05) in group B. Clinical pregnancy rate,
finally, was similar in the two groups.
Conclusion: The relatively small sample size does not allow a definitive
conclusion for the important role of LH during early oocyte maturation.
Our results, however, indicate a beneficial effect when small doses of
LH are used for ovarian stimulation in IVF-ET cycles. This effect may be
more important in cases in which few embryos are available for transfer.
(c) 2005 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
ER -