Efficacy of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone in improving oocyte quality in assisted reproductive techniques.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the efficacy of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) versus highly purified urinary human FSH (uFSH) in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).


METHODS
This prospective, randomized, quality of retrieved double-blind study compared uFSH with rFSH in IVF-ET rFSh cycles. A total of 254 cycles from 241 patients who attended the infertility clinic at Samsung Cheil Hospital from January to August 2001 were included in the study. With pituitary desensitization using gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and a short protocol, rFSH was administered in 131 cycles; uFSH was administered in 123 cycles. We analyzed ovarian response, oocyte quality, fertilization rate, embryo quality, pregnancy rate and live birth rate in the uFSH and rFSH groups.


RESULTS
Total FSH dosage (1322.3 +/- 526.2 vs. 2124.4 +/- 881.9 i.u.) and dosage per retrieved oocyte (90.6 +/- 36.0 vs. 138.0 +/- 57.2 i.u.) were significantly lower in the rFSH group than those in the uFSH group (P < .001). The proportion of good-quality oocytes (grade 1 and 2) was higher in the rFSH group (68.2% vs. 64.8%, P = .024). Moreover, the proportion of atretic oocytes (grade 5) was lower in the rFSH group (7.5% vs. 10.3%, P = .002). The fertilization rate, quality of transferred embryos, clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were not significantly differ between the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
In women undergoing COH, rFSH revealed more efficient ovarian response and better quality of oocytes than did uFSH.
Cheon
Kang Woo
KW
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Cheil Hospital and Women's Health Care Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 1-19 Mukjeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, 100-380, South Korea.
Byun
Hye Kyung
HK
Yang
Kwang Moon
KM
Song
In Ok
IO
Choi
Kyu Hong
KH
Yoo
Keun Jai
KJ
D000328:Adult; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000628:therapy*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone