Effect of gonadotropin releasing hormon agonist addition to routine luteal phase support in intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer cycles on pregnancy rates and outcomes

Abstract: Aim: To investigate the effect of gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) addition to luteal phase support (LPS) in intracytoplasmic sperm injection-embryo transfer (ICSI-ET) cycles of GnRH-a long protocol and GnRH antagonist (GnRH-anta) protocol, on pregnancy rates and outcomes. Materials and Method: One hundred and eight infertile couples treated with ICSI-ET were included in this prospective randomized study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups to undergo two different ovarian stimulation protocols. GnRH-a iong protocol was applied to group I and GnRH-anta protocol was applied to group II. Women to be treated by each of the two protocols were also randomly assigned to one of the two subgroups. Subgroups Ib and IIb received leuprolide acetate (0.5 mg s.c.) injections on the 5th and 10th days after ET in addition to routine LPS [90 mg/day of vaginal progesterone plus 4 mg of 17β Estradiol]. Only routine LPS was given to other two subgroups (groups la and IIa). Results: The total number of retrieved oocytes and MII oocytes were significantly higher in group Ia than in group Ib. There were no differences between subgroups in groups I and II regarding clinical pregnancy, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), multiple pregnancy, abortion, ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates. Conclusion: Addition of GnRH-a to routine LPS in ICSI-ET cycles of GnRH-a long protocol and GnRH-anta protocol seems to have no effect on ongoing pregnancy, abortion, multiple pregnancy, OHSS, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates.