Ovarian suppression treatment prior to in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in Chinese women with stage III or IV endometriosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a 2-month treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist prior to in-vitro fertilization in Chinese women with moderate or severe endometriosis.


METHODS
A study of 162 women surgically diagnosed as having moderate or severe endometriosis. Pituitary down-regulation was achieved with injections of a GnRH agonist prior to the IVF procedures either for 7 to 10 days in the mid-luteal phase (group 1 [standard protocol], 97 cycles in total), or for 2 months (group 2, 55 cycles), or 3 months (group 3, 75 cycles).


RESULTS
Women pretreated with a GnRH agonist for 2 or 3 months required significantly higher doses of gonadotropin for ovarian stimulation (P<0.001), and for a longer time, than those treated with the standard long protocol (P<0.05). The number of oocytes and good embryos was lower in group 3 than in groups 1 or 2 (P<0.05). The implantation rate was significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (P<0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
A 2-month treatment with a GnRH agonist prior to IVF produced a trend toward an increase in the implantation rate in a group of Chinese women with stages III and IV endometriosis.
Ma
Caihong
C
Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
Qiao
Jie
J
Liu
Ping
P
Chen
Guian
G
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006801:Humans; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone