title: LH supplementation in down-regulated women undergoing assisted reproduction with baseline low serum LH levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of recombinant-human LH supplementation on ovarian response and pregnancy outcome, during ovarian stimulation, in down-regulated women with baseline low serum LH levels undergoing assisted reproductive technology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective randomized study performed with 80 women, with serum LH levels 50.5 IU/l on cycle Day 6 of stimulation. Group-A (40): 14-days after down-regulation with leuprorelin, ovarian stimulation was initiated only with r-FSH 225 IU. Group-B (40): at the same time stimulation was initiated with rFSH 225 IU associated with rLH 75 UI on cycle Day 6 of stimulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum-E2 levels on the hCG-day administration were significantly reduced in the Group-A. FF-VEGF levels were higher in Group-A. We did not find significant differences in the number of retrieved oocytes. The quality of oocytes proved to be higher and more significant from a statistical point of view in Group-B. The number of embryos obtained and transferred, the pregnancy rate lower in Group-A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, it was shown that LH supplementation seems to have a beneﬁcial effect on the maturity and fertilizability of oocyte. Lower FF VEGF levels, found in Group B, could be an indication of a lower apoptosis rate in human cumulus cells after administration of LH. We can affirm that LH-supplementation is beneficial in patients who show asignificant serum LH suppression during the receptorial down-regulation
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology, University of Parma, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Parma, Italy. antoniocosimopezzuto@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pezzuto
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Nardelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide