title: LH pretreatment as a novel strategy for poor responders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor response to ovarian stimulation is still a major problem in IVF. The study presents a new stimulation protocol evaluated in a suppopulation of very difficult young poor ovarian responders.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consists in two sections. The first includes data from a randomized controlled study involving forty-three young patients with a poor ovarian response in at least two previous cycles (intended as cycle cancellation or with ≤3 collected oocytes). Patients were randomized in two groups: group A (control) received FSH (400 IU/day), while group B received the new stimulation protocol consisting in a sequential association of 150 IU r-LH for 4 days followed by 400 IU r-FSH/after downregulation with daily GnRh agonist. The second includes data from the overall results in 65 patients treated with the new protocol compared to their previous performance with conventional cycles (historical control).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both in the RCT and in the historical control study, LH pretreatment was able to decrease the cancellation rate, to improve the in vitro performance, and to significantly increase the live birth rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LH pretreatment improved oocyte quantity and quality in young repeated poor responders selected in accordance with the Bologna criteria.
authors.affiliation: SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Via Mazzini 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Pia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ferraretti
authors.affiliation: SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Via Mazzini 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gianaroli
authors.affiliation: Human Reproduction Center, Prvomajska Street 4, 85310 Budva, Montenegro.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motrenko
authors.affiliation: SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Via Mazzini 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Feliciani
authors.affiliation: SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Via Mazzini 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tabanelli
authors.affiliation: SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Via Mazzini 12, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Magli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone