title: Mild versus conventional antagonist ovarian stimulation protocols in expected normal responders undergoing IVF/ICSI: a case-control study.
abstract: Mild controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) protocols combining clomiphene citrate (CC) or letrozole with gonadotropins were introduced as an effective alternative of conventional COH in normal responders undergoing IVF/ICSI. In this case-control study, we compared 41 participants treated with a mild stimulation protocol receiving gonadotropins combined with either CC (n = 24) or letrozole (n = 17) with 71 subfertile participants with matching baseline characteristics, conforming with the same inclusion criteria and treated with a conventional antagonist protocol. Live birth was determined in reduced rates in the study group compared to the control group, reaching marginal statistical significance [4/41 versus 19/71, p = 0.050], as also in the respective number of clinical pregnancies [6/41 versus 22/71, p = 0.054], although the incidence of miscarriage was similar for both groups [2/41 versus 5/71, p = 0.714]. Most of the secondary parameters examined, favored the conventional antagonist protocol. There was no difference in any of the outcomes reported between the three different stimulation groups in post-hoc analysis. Mild stimulation regimens with the aid of either CC or letrozole employing GnRH antagonists do not seem to constitute an equally effective method as compared to the conventional antagonist protocol to be offered in good prognosis subfertile women seeking an induced cycle toward IVF/ICSI.
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Charalampos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Siristatidis
authors.affiliation: b Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly , Larissa , Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dafopoulos
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Tereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vrantza
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salamalekis
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Basios
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vogiatzi
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pergialiotis
authors.affiliation: a Assisted Reproduction Unit, Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Attikon Hospital", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , Athens , Greece and.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Papantoniou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002996:Clomiphene / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D002996:Clomiphene; D000077289:Letrozole
keywords: Assisted reproductive techniques; clomiphene citrate; letrozole; mild stimulation; normal responders