Menstruation-free interval and ongoing pregnancy in IVF using GnRH antagonists.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the association between the achievement of ongoing pregnancy and the time interval from the end of menstruation until the administration of HCG (menstruation-free interval) in patients treated by IVF.


METHODS
A fixed dose of 200 IU of recombinant FSH (rFSH) was started in 90 patients on day 2 of the menstrual cycle and daily GnRH antagonist was initiated on day 6 of stimulation. Triggering of final oocyte maturation was performed with 10,000 IU of HCG as soon as three follicles of > or =17 mm were present at ultrasound.


RESULTS
Single embryo transfer was performed in 64.6% of the patients who reached embryo transfer (53/82). Ongoing pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was 18.3% (95% CI 11.4-28.0%). The menstruation-free interval significantly predicted the probability of ongoing pregnancy in a logistic regression analysis, controlling for female age and LH on day 1 of stimulation (odds ratio for the menstruation-free interval: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.54-0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
The longer the interval from the end of menstruation until the administration of HCG, the lower the probability of ongoing pregnancy in patients stimulated with recombinant FSH and GnRH antagonist for IVF.
Kolibianakis
Efstratios M
EM
Unit for Human Reproduction, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. Stratis.Kolibianakis@otenet.gr
Papanikolaou
Evangelos G
EG
Camus
Michel
M
Tournaye
Herman
H
Van Steirteghem
André C
AC
Devroey
Paul
P
D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; 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; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008598:Menstruation / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013997:Time Factors
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone