Impact of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone and human menopausal gonadotropins on in vitro fertilization outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate possible differences between using recombinant FSH (rFSH) and hMG for ovarian stimulation in IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.


METHODS
Parallel group design. Prospective, randomized clinical study.


METHODS
A tertiary care infertility clinic.


METHODS
A total of 578 patients of our IVF/ICSI routine were recruited.


METHODS
Treatment with hMG was used for 282 patients (282 cycles), whereas 296 patients (296 cycles) were treated with rFSH. The number of cycles leading to an embryo transfer were 248 and 259, respectively.


METHODS
Primary: clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary: treatment days, total dose of gonadotropin administered, number of oocytes retrieved, number of mature oocytes, and embryo quality.


RESULTS
Of the cycles with embryo transfer, the pregnancy rates were 30.1% and 32.3% in the rFSH and the hMG groups, respectively. This difference is not statistically significant (P=0.798). Treatment with rFSH resulted in a significantly higher number of recovered oocytes compared with the hMG group but was also associated with a higher number of ampoules needed to reach the criterion for hCG administration. No significant differences were found with regard to the number of mature oocytes, the number of treatment days, and the embryo quality.


CONCLUSIONS
In terms of the clinical pregnancy rate, no significant differences between the two stimulation regimens can be stated.
Strehler
E
E
Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Frauenstrasse 51, D-89073 Ulm, Germany. erwin.strehler@bnv-gz.de
Abt
M
M
El-Danasouri
I
I
De Santo
M
M
Sterzik
K
K
D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008596:Menotropins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone