title: Effects and safety of GnRH-a as a luteal support in women undertaking assisted reproductive technology procedures: follow-up results for pregnancy, delivery, and neonates.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects and safety of gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) as an addition to progesterone luteal support in women who underwent in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) and achieved a clinical pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted on 214 patients who underwent IVF/ICSI-ET procedures with standard long mid-luteal protocol, of which 123 received GnRH-a-free protocol and 91 received GnRH-a-added protocol. The patients' pregnancy and delivery course, and their neonates' status at birth and growth/development after birth were statistically compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between both study groups regarding embryo risks and maternal complications during early pregnancy. as well as fetal risks during the middle and late stages and neonate risks during birth, except that the twin pregnancies of the GnRH-a-added group had a considerably greater male/female ratio, and a significantly higher rate of premature delivery and low birth weight than those of the GnRH-a-free group. In addition, there was no significant difference in neonate risks within 2 years after birth between both cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With precautions taken to control the number of implanted embryos and reduce the incidence of twinning pregnancy, the addition of GnRH-a to luteal support is relatively safe and effective.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Canglang District, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China. zhouweiqin0407@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Weiqin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Canglang District, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Canglang District, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 188 Shizi Street, Canglang District, Suzhou, 215006, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
keywords: Assisted reproductive technology; Gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue; Luteal support