title: Could the addition of hp-hMG and GnRH antagonists modulate the response in IVF-ICSI cycles?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess if the luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin present in some gonadotropin formulations may be of benefit in protocols with GnRH antagonists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open, quasi-experimental, multicenter, prospective, parallel-controlled study compared 136 women undergoing in vitro fertilization--intracytoplasmic sperm injection after stimulation with highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (hp-hMG) (n = 44), recombinant-follicle stimulating hormone (r-FSH) (n = 46), or a combination of both (r FSH + hp-hMG) (n = 46) following an antagonist protocol. Blood determinations were made on day 6 of stimulation and on the day of ovulation induction, with centralized analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found in the ongoing pregnancy rates between groups [37.0% versus 29.5% (hp-hMG) and 23.9% (r-FSH); p = 0.688]. However, the ratio top-quality embryos/retrieved oocytes (TQE/RO) was higher in the combined therapy group (19.6%)--reaching significance versus the r-FSH group (6.5%) (p = 0.008), but not versus hp-hMG (12.3%) (p = 0.137).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An improved TQE/RO ratio was obtained together with a greater percentage of frozen embryos in the patients that incorporated hp-hMG to their stimulation protocol. Despite good results of adding hp-hMG, non statistical differences were found in terms of ongoing pregnancy rate.
authors.affiliation: IVI Madrid, Madrid, Spain. arequena@ivi.es
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Requena
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Landeras
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martínez-Navarro
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calatayud
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maldonado
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Setefilla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calderón
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martínez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008596:Menotropins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D043373:Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D008596:Menotropins; C061018:ganirelix