title: Oestradiol valerate pretreatment in GnRH-antagonist cycles: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: This randomized controlled trial analyses the ability to control the oocyte retrieval schedule of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist cycles through the administration of oestradiol valerate during the luteo-follicular transition period prior to the initiation of ovarian stimulation. Eighty-six women undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection were enrolled in the study. The control group (n = 42) received a standard ovarian stimulation protocol. In the pretreatment group (n = 44), patients were administered oestradiol valerate at a daily dose of 2 · 2 mg from day 25 of the preceding cycle onwards, during 6–10 consecutive days, depending on the day of the week. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients undergoing oocyte retrieval during a weekend day (i.e. Saturday or Sunday), which was significantly lower in the pretreatment group (1/37, 2.7%) compared with the control group (8/39, 20.5%; P value = 0.029). The clinical pregnancy rates per started cycle were similar in the pretreatment group (38.6%) compared with the control group (38.1%). Pretreatment with oestradiol valerate results in a significantly lower proportion of patients undergoing oocyte retrieval during a weekend day and can be a valuable tool for the organization of an assisted reproduction centre.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium. christophe.blockeel@uzbrussel.be
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blockeel
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Engels
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Vos
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haentjens
authors.forename: Nikolaos P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Polyzos
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stoop
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camus
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devroey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D006801:Humans; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol