The influence of time-course HMG administration upon the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer

Objective To investigate the influence of human menopausal gonadotropin(HMG)administration at different phase of follicular development upon the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET)in the long-program.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed in 145 patients underwent the long program IVF-ET,who were normal in ovarian reservation but with low levels of serum leteinizing hormone(LH)(＜ 1 U/L)after the pituitary down-regulation.According to the time point of HMG administration,the patients were classified into three groups:early follicular phase(group 1,43 patients),midfollicular phase(group 2,46 patients)and late follicular phase(group 3,56 patients).The outcomes of these three groups were compared.Results Between the three groups,there was no difference in the down-regulation time,days receiving gonadotropin(Gn),the number of oocytes retrieved,day of estradiol(E2)on the day receiving chorionic gonadotrophin(hCG)injection,start date and interim LH,fertilization rate and cleavage rate (all P ＞ 0.05).In group 3,the total Gn dosage([2225 ± 292]U)was lower than that of group 1([2624 ± 422]U)(P ＜ 0.05)and group 2([2472 ± 417]U)(P ＜ 0.05).In group 1,the LH level on the day receiving hCG[(0.46 ± 0.37)U/L]was lower than that in group 2[(0.72 ± 0.58)U/L](P＜0.05).The rate of usable embryos in group 3[62.5％(288/461)]was higher than that of group 1[55.0％(170/309)]and group 252.8％(208/394)](P =0.011).Though the high qualified embryo rate,clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate in group 3 were higher than that in goup 1 and group 2,and the abortion rate in group 1 was higher than that of group 2 and group 3,the difference was not significant(P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion For the patients with over-suppressed LH in the long-program pituitary down-regulation but with normal ovarian reservation,additional HMG during late follicular phase is helpful to improve the high qualified emryo rate,excellent rates of embryos,embryos availability,implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate,and lower the abortion rate. Key words: In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer;  Urinary gonadotropin;  Luteinizing hormone; Normal ovarian reserve