title: Efficacy of low dose hCG on oocyte maturity for ovarian stimulation in poor responder women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of late follicular administration of low dose hCG on oocyte maturity in poor responding women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective randomized pilot trial was performed on 73 poor responders undergoing ICSI, in Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute, Tehran, Iran. All eligible patients underwent a GnRH-a long protocol and were randomly allocated into three study groups for ovarian stimulation: groupA received recombinant FSH alone, group B received recombinant FSH supplemented by 100 IU hCG. Group C received recombinant FSH supplemented by 200 IU hCG. The main endpoint was the number of metaphase II oocytes retrieved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 78 poor responding patients entered to this study, 73 women were considered eligible for enrolment. Of these, 26 women were allocated to receive only recombinant FSH, 24 patients allocated to receive recombinant FSH and 100 IU hCG and 23 patients were assigned to receive recombinant FSH and 200 IU hCG. Number of oocytes retrieved were significantly higher in group B compared to group A (6.5 ± 3.3 versus 4.0 ± 2.3; P = .03). Other cycle and clinical outcomes were comparable between three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated that adding 100 IU hCG to rFSH in a GnRH agonist cycle in poor responders improve response to stimulation whereas the number of metaphase II oocytes remains comparable between groups. The existence of a possible trend toward higher mature oocytes and lower total dosage rFSH in patients received 100 or 200 IU hCG is probably due to the small sample size that means further large clinical trials in a more homogenous population is required (clinical trial registration number; NCT01509833).
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, P.O Box:19395-4644, Tehran, Iran. tmadani@royaninstitute.org
authors.forename: Tahereh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madani
authors.forename: Ladan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mohammadi Yeganeh
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khodabakhshi
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Akhoond
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hasani
mesh_terms: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008677:Metaphase; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone