title: Recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (follitropin beta, Puregon) yields higher pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization than urinary gonadotropins.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess ongoing pregnancy rates (PRs) in IVF after treatment with recombinant FSH (follitropin beta, Puregon; NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands) as compared with urinary gonadotropins.
  
  
  METHODS
  A combined analysis of three prospective, multicenter, randomized, comparative trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five IVF centers in 13 countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred ninety-seven infertile women receiving recombinant FSH and 463 women receiving hMG or urinary FSH and undergoing one cycle of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and IVF-ET.
  
  
  METHODS
  A center-based and study-based analysis weighing the treatment differences in individual centers and studies, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancy rate at least 12 weeks after ET per started cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the center-based analysis, the ongoing PR was 22.9% for recombinant FSH and 17.9% for urinary gonadotropins. The 5.0% treatment difference (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2% to 9.7%) was significant. When the results of the cryoprogram were included, the treatment difference increased to 6.4% (95% CI, 1.4% to 11.3%). Also in the study-based analysis, significantly higher PRs were seen after follitropin beta treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Follitropin beta (Puregon) used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in IVF yields significantly higher PRs compared with urinary gonadotropins.
authors.affiliation: NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Out
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Driessen
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Mannaerts
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Coelingh Bennink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards* / Q000652:urine; D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D006801:Humans; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D037201:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, beta Subunit; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008596:Menotropins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone