Ultrashort gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) protocol in comparison with the long-acting GnRH-a protocol and menotropin alone.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) outcome of a 3-day gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) administration: ultrashort protocol with the outcome of long-acting GnRH-a cycles or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) alone.


METHODS
Ninety-two cycles of the ultrashort protocol were matched with 92 cycles with long GnRH-a and with 92 hMG cycles.


METHODS
The IVF-ET program.


METHODS
Amount and duration of hMG treatment, hormonal profile on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration, cancellation rate, number of oocytes retrieved, and fertilization and pregnancy rates (PRs) were examined and compared among the three groups.


RESULTS
The ultrashort group needed a higher number of hMG ampules than the hMG group but significantly less than in the long GnRH-a regimen. The number of oocytes in the ultrashort protocol was the same as in the long GnRH-a, but the number of embryos per retrieval was significantly lower than with the long GnRH-a protocol and similar to that found in the hMG group. The ultrashort protocol yielded 10% PR per cycle and 17% per replacement, significantly lower than with the long GnRH-a protocol, 26% and 36%, respectively, but also lower than in the hMG one, namely 13% and 28%.


CONCLUSIONS
The ultrashort protocol, although being convenient and having some advantages found in the long GnRH-a protocol, is inferior in its outcome compared with the two other protocols.
Ron-El
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Herman
A
A
Golan
A
A
Soffer
Y
Y
Nachum
H
H
Caspi
E
E
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone