Recombinant FSH vs. urinary FSH for ovarian stimulation in in vitro fertilization.
OBJECTIVE
To compare ovarian stimulation with recombinant FSH (rFSH) vs. urinary FSH (uFSH) in terms of hormonal events within ovarian follicles and the outcome of in vitro fertilization.


METHODS
A prospective randomized comparative study of rFSH (n = 70) vs. uFSH (n = 61) ovarian stimulation. Hormone determinations were serum estradiol (E2) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration, and E2, androstenedione (A) and testosterone (T) at the time of follicular aspiration in the follicular fluid and serum.


RESULTS
The total dose of gonadotropins required and the length of ovarian stimulation were the same in the 2 groups. In follicular fluid the E2 and the A levels were significantly higher in the rFSH group (3,065 +/- 1,646 vs. 2,368 +/- 1,240 nmol/L, P = .004, and 103.7 +/- 51.6 vs. 89.0 +/- 42.3 nmol/L, P = .042, respectively), whereas A:E2 and T:E2 ratios were significantly lower (39.6 +/- 22.5 vs. 52.3 +/- 59.6, P = .042, and 9.1 +/- 4.7 vs. 17.6 +/- 26.9, P = .006, respectively). Serum hormonal levels, number of oocytes retrieved and pregnancy rates did not differ significantly between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
rFSH provides results similar to those of uFSH. rFSH enhances steroidogenesis and provokes different androgen/estrogen ratios than does uFSH without influencing the outcome of in vitro fertilization.
Meden-Vrtovec
Helena
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slajmerjeva 3, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. helena.meden@kclj.si
Mocnik-Roznik
Sonja
S
Tomazevic
Tomaz
T
Virant-Klun
Irma
I
D000328:Adult; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone