Comparison of gnrh agonist with low-dose urinary hcg for the induction of final oocyte maturation in high-risk patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (ICSI-ET)‎

Abstract EN

The aim of this study is to compare clinical pregnancy rates in ICSI-ET cycles where GnRH agonist or hCG was used to induce final maturation of the oocytes. A total of 97 women who produced more than 14 follicles following ovulation induction with recombinant FSH and GnRH antagonist were selected for randomization.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 5.000 IU, IM) or GnRH agonist (triptorelin 0.2 mg, SC) was used for the induction of final maturation.

Women in GnRH agonist group received higher dose of progesterone (100 mg vs.

50 mg) and estradiol (6 mg orally per day vs.

none) compared to women in hCG group in the luteal phase starting on the day of oocyte pick-up.

Age, duration of stimulation, dose of gonadotropins, peak estradiol levels were similar in both groups.

The mean number of collected oocytes (14.7 ± 2.1 vs.

13.8 ± 4.3) and fertilization rates (70.7 ± 18 vs.71.8 ± 21) were not significantly different between women allocated to hCG group (n = 53) and GnRH agonist group (n = 44).

Clinical pregnancy rates (37.7 vs.

36.3), miscarriage rates (15 % vs.

18.7 %) and ongoing pregnancy rates (32 % vs.

29.5 %) were similar between hCG group and GnRH agonist group, respectively.

Two cases of moderate / severe OHSS occurred in the hCG group, and none in the GnRH agonist group.

In conclusion, GnRH-agonist triggering together with high dose steroid supplementation in the luteal phase yields similar clinical pregnancy rate to that obtained with lower dose of hCG administration for final maturation.

However, lower dose of hCG was associated with a higher incidence of moderate / severe OHSS.