Skip to main content
Log in

Efficacy of low-dose hCG in late follicular phase in controlled ovarian stimulation using GnRH agonist protocol

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Safe, simple and cost-effective protocol is an important goal in ART cycles. The aim of this prospective study was whether administration of low-dose hCG in late follicular phase can be used clinically to replace gonadotropin administration in GnRH long protocol.

Materials and methods

122 patients who were candidates for ART enrolled the study and randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n = 62) received standard long protocol and gonadotropin administration continued until the day of hCG injection (10,000 IU) for final follicular maturation. The study group (n = 60) received GnRH long protocol and when at least ≥6 follicles with mean diameter ≥12 mm were observed in both ovaries, hMG was displaced by 200 IU per day of hCG until final follicular maturation.

Results

There were no significant differences in age, basal FSH, infertility duration and infertility etiology between two groups. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups regarding chemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and abortion per cycle (50, 40, 40, and 20 % in study group vs. 45.2, 35.5, 35.5, and 21.4 % in control group, respectively). Mean dose of used gonadotropins was significantly higher in control group than that in the study group (2,524 ± 893 IU in control group and 1,439 ± 433 IU in study group) (p = 0.000).

Conclusion

According to our data, we recommend the use of low-dose hCG in GnRH long protocol because of lower doses of used gonadotropins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Blockeel C et al (2009) Can 200 IU of hCG replace recombinant FSH in the late follicular phase in a GnRH-antagonist cycle? A pilot study. Hum Reprod 24(11):2910–2916

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Serafini P et al (2006) Ovarian stimulation with daily late follicular phase administration of low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin for in vitro fertilization: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertil Steril 86(4):830–838

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kenigsberg D et al (2006) Efficacy of luteinizing hormone activity in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization and treated only with low-dose recombinant choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel) in the late follicular phase. Fertil Steril 86(4):1023–1025

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Filicori M et al (2002) Stimulation and growth of antral ovarian follicles by selective LH activity administration in women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87(3):1156–1161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gomes MKO et al (2007) Controlled ovarian stimulation with exclusive FSH followed by stimulation with hCG alone, FSH alone or hMG. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 130(1):99–106

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Filicori M et al (2005) Efficacy of low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin alone to complete controlled ovarian stimulation. Fertil Steril 84(2):394–401

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Cavagna M et al (2010) Supplementation with a recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin microdose leads to similar outcomes in ovarian stimulation with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone using either a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist or antagonist for pituitary suppression. Fertil Steril 94(1):167–172

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Koichi K et al (2006) Efficacy of low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a GnRH antagonist protocol. J Assist Reprod Genet 23(5):223–228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Van Horne AK et al (2007) Recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) supplemented with low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin compared with rFSH alone for ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 88(4):1010–1013

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Nyboe Andersen A et al (2008) Recombinant LH supplementation to recombinant FSH during the final days of controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. A multicentre, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Hum Reprod 23(2):427–434

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Campbell B et al (1999) Examination of the relative role of FSH and LH in the mechanism of ovulatory follicle selection in sheep. Reproduction 117(2):355

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Filicori M et al (1999) Luteinizing hormone activity supplementation enhances follicle-stimulating hormone efficacy and improves ovulation induction outcome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 84(8):2659–2663

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Filicori M et al (2002) The use of LH activity to drive folliculogenesis: exploring uncharted territories in ovulation induction. Hum Reprod Update 8(6):543–557

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Stokman P et al (1993) Human chorionic gonadotropin in commercial human menopausal gonadotropin preparations. Fertil Steril 60(1):175

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. The European Recombinant LH Study Group and TERLS Group (2001) Human recombinant luteinizing hormone is as effective as, but safer than, urinary human chorionic gonadotropin in inducing final follicular maturation and ovulation in in vitro fertilization procedures: results of a multicenter double-blind study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86(6):2607–2618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sullivan MW et al (1999) Ovarian responses in women to recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone (LH): a role for LH in the final stages of follicular maturation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 84(1):228–232

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Blockeel C et al (2011) Gene expression profile in the endometrium on the day of oocyte retrieval after ovarian stimulation with low-dose hCG in the follicular phase. Mol Hum Reprod 17(1):33–41

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kyono K et al (2004) A prospective randomized study of three ovulation induction protocols for IVF: GnRH agonist versus antagonist with and without low dose hCG. Fertil Steril 82:S31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kosmas IP et al (2009) Low-dose HCG may improve pregnancy rates and lower OHSS in antagonist cycles: a meta-analysis. Reprod BioMed Online 19(5):619–630

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Verberg MFG et al (2009) Mild ovarian stimulation for IVF. Hum Reprod Update 15(1):13–29

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maryam Eftekhar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Aflatoonian, A., Yousefnejad, F., Eftekhar, M. et al. Efficacy of low-dose hCG in late follicular phase in controlled ovarian stimulation using GnRH agonist protocol. Arch Gynecol Obstet 286, 771–775 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2337-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2337-z

Keywords

Navigation