Effect of highly purified urinary follicle-stimulating hormone on oocyte and embryo quality.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of ovarian stimulation with highly purified urofollitropin on oocyte and embryo quality.


METHODS
Parallel randomized open-label clinical study.


METHODS
Assisted reproduction centers.


METHODS
Two hundred sixty-seven infertile couples undergoing IVF/ICSI.


METHODS
All participants underwent standard down-regulation with GnRH analogue. One hundred thirty-three participants received highly purified urinary FSH and 134 controls received recombinant FSH.


METHODS
Primary end points were number of morphologically mature oocytes retrieved, embryo quality, and pregnancy and implantation rates. Secondary end points were: total number of days of FSH stimulation, total dose of gonadotropin administered, fertilization rate per number of retrieved oocytes, embryo cleavage rate, live birth and miscarriage rates, endometrial thickness and estradiol level on the day of hCG administration, cancellation rate, and incidence of moderate or severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.


RESULTS
Pregnancy and implantation rates were nonsignificantly higher in the urinary FSH group than the recombinant FSH group (46.5% vs. 36.8% and 22.1% vs. 15.8%, respectively). The grade 1 embryo score was significantly higher in the urinary FSH group than the recombinant FSH (42.1% vs. 33.5%), and the live birth rate was nonsignificantly higher in the former group.


CONCLUSIONS
Highly purified urinary FSH is as effective, efficient, and safe for clinical use as recombinant FSH.
Selman
Helmy A
HA
Istituto Europeo Medicina della Riproduzione Abruzzese, Spatocco Hospital, Chieti, Italy. selmanha@yahoo.com
De Santo
Mariella
M
Sterzik
Karl
K
Coccia
Elisabetta
E
El-Danasouri
Imam
I
D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008596:Menotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D008596:Menotropins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone