Clinical efficacy of GnRH antagonist multiple dose protocol and GnRH agonist long protocol in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using rFSH in IVF-ET patients

Won, Hyung Jae; Lee, Woo Sik; Cho, Jung Hyun; Kim, You Shin; Han, Ji Eun; Kwak, In Pyung; Lee, Sook Hwan; Yoon, Tae Ki

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of GnRH antagonist multi dose protocol in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for IVF-ET or ICSI with GnRH agonist long protocol.
METHODS
From January 2003 to December 2004, total of 583 cycles which underwent IVF-ET or ICSI using r-FSH were enrolled in this study. 447 cycles of the study group were performed in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation by using GnRH antagonist multi dose protocol and 136 cycles of the control group were performed by using GnRH long protocol. We compared patients characteristics, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation outcomes and IVF-ET outcomes between two groups.
RESULTS
Patients characteristics and baseline hormone levels were not different between the two groups. The duration of stimulation was significantly shorter in study group comparing with control group (12.8+/-1.5 days vs 13.7+/-1.7 days, p<0.05). There were no differences between the two groups in the number of follicles, endometrial thickness and serum E2 level on hCG day. The pregnancy rate seemed to be lower in the study group (32.4% vs 35.4%), but the difference was not statistically significant. There were also no differences in number of oocytes retrieved, matured oocytes, fertilized oocytes and transferred embryos between two groups.
CONCLUSION
GnRH antagonist multi dose protocol in COH might be a simple and effective method compared with GnRH agonist long protocol.