Luteinizing hormone supplementation increases pregnancy rates in gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist donor cycles.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether LH supplementation improved pregnancy and implantation rates in GnRH antagonist donor cycles.


METHODS
Donors were randomly assigned to a protocol using GnRH antagonist (GnRH-a) alone or GnRH-a + recombinant LH. Analysis of variance, Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were used where appropriate.


METHODS
Private clinical setting.


METHODS
Young voluntary donors with antagonist (n = 20) and antagonist + LH (n = 22). Fifty-five patients received oocytes.


METHODS
Donors received the GnRH-a (Cetrorelix, 0.25 mg/day) alone or in combination with recombinant LH (75 IU/day). Ovulation induction was carried out with recombinant FSH in a step-down protocol. The endometrial tissue of recipient patients was prepared with oral E(2) and P.


METHODS
Pregnancy and implantation rates in a donor program.


RESULTS
A significant increase in MII oocyte (80% vs. 71%), fertilization rates (83% vs. 71%), G1 embryos (17% vs. 3%), and implantation rates (35% vs. 15%), were found in recipients whose embryos originated from donors receiving GnRH-a + recombinant LH as compared to donors receiving GnRH-a alone. Estradiol levels, pregnancy/transfer and clinical pregnancies were lower (not significant) in donors treated with the GnRH-a alone vs. those receiving the recombinant LH-supplemented GnRH-a.


CONCLUSIONS
The LH supplementation improved the possibilities of gestation for recipients whose embryos originated from GnRH-a-treated donors.
Clinica de Medicina de la Reproduccion y Ginecologia "FIVMadrid," c/Alvarez de Baena 4 bajo, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
Belen
B
Acevedo
Marta
M
Sanchez
Jose Luis
JL
Gomez
Jorge
J
Cuadros
Elisabetta
E
Ricciarelli
Eleuterio R
ER
Hernández
D000328:Adult; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; C062876:cetrorelix