The duration of gonadotropin stimulation does not alter the clinical pregnancy rate in IVF or ICSI cycles.
BACKGROUND
Ovarian stimulation is an essential part of assisted reproduction treatments. Research on whether the duration of stimulation alters the success in assisted reproduction has not been conclusive.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the study was to establish whether the duration of ovarian stimulation alters the success in assisted reproduction treatments.


METHODS
All fresh (non-donor) stimulation cycles performed in an academic tertiary referral ART centre over a period of 18 years, between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2014, were identified. Data were prospectively and electronically collected. IVF and ICSI cycles were analysed independently. Each category was then subdivided into assisted reproduction cycles where the antagonist, long (down regulation) and flare protocol were used. Clinical pregnancy was the main outcome measured. A total of 10,478 stimulation cycles (6011 fresh IVF and 4467 fresh ICSI) reaching egg collection were included.


RESULTS
We showed no significant difference in CP rates in IVF cycles for the long (p = 0.082), antagonist (p = 0.217) or flare (p = 0.741) protocol cycles or in ICSI cycles with the long (p = 0.223), antagonist (p = 0.766) or the flare (p = 0.690) protocol with regards the duration of stimulation.


CONCLUSIONS
The duration of stimulation does not alter the CP rate in ICSI or IVF cycles using the long, antagonist or flare stimulation protocol.
Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland. docnikhilp@rediffmail.com.|Rotunda IVF, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland. docnikhilp@rediffmail.com.
N
N
Purandare
Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
G
G
Emerson
Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
C
C
Kirkham
Rotunda IVF, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
C
C
Harrity
Rotunda IVF, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
D
D
Walsh
Rotunda Hospital, Parnell Square, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
E
E
Mocanu
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate / Q000639:trends*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*
D006062:Gonadotropins
ART (assisted reproductive technology); Clinical pregnancy (CP); Gonadotropin; ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection); IVF (in vitro fertilization)