Fertility and Sterility
Volume 82, Issue 1 , Pages 102-107 , July 2004

Prolongation of the follicular phase in in vitro fertilization results in a lower ongoing pregnancy rate in cycles stimulated with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists

  • Efstratios M Kolibianakis, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Efstratios Kolibianakis, M.D., PhD., Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium (FAX: 32-2-4776549).
    • ,
  • Carola Albano, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium
    • ,
  • Michel Camus, M.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium
    • ,
  • Herman Tournaye, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium
    • ,
  • André C Van Steirteghem, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium
    • ,
  • Paul Devroey, M.D., Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Dutch-Speaking Brussels Free University, Brussels, Belgium

Received 22 August 2003 ,Revised 30 January 2004 ,Accepted 30 January 2004.

References 

  1. Borm G, Mannaerts B. Treatment with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist ganirelix in women undergoing ovarian stimulation with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone is effective, safe and convenient (results of a controlled, randomized, multicentre trial. The European Orgalutran Study Group). Hum Reprod. 2000;15:1490–1498
  2. Anonymous. Comparable clinical outcome using the GnRH antagonist ganirelix or a long protocol of the GnRH agonist triptorelin for the prevention of premature LH surges in women undergoing ovarian stimulation. Hum Reprod 2001;16:644–51
  3. Fluker M, Grifo J, Leader A, Levy M, Meldrum D, Muasher SJ, et al.  Efficacy and safety of ganirelix acetate versus leuprolide acetate in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Fertil Steril. 2001;75:38–45
  4. Kolibianakis E, Bourgain C, Albano C, Osmanagaoglu K, Smitz J, Van Steirteghem A, et al.  Effect of ovarian stimulation with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists, and human chorionic gonadotropin on endometrial maturation on the day of oocyte pick-up. Fertil Steril. 2002;78:1025–1029
  5. Kolibianakis EM, Albano C, Kahn J, Camus M, Tournaye H, Van Steirteghem AC, et al.  Exposure to high levels of luteinizing hormone and estradiol in the early follicular phase of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist cycles is associated with a reduced chance of pregnancy. Fertil Steril. 2003;79:873–880
  6. Garcia-Velasco JA, Isaza V, Vidal C, Landazabal A, Remohi J, Simon C, et al.  Human ovarian steroid secretion in vivo (effects of GnRH agonist versus antagonist (cetrorelix)). Hum Reprod. 2001;16:2533–2539
  7. de Jong D, Macklon NS, Fauser BC. A pilot study involving minimal ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (extending the “follicle-stimulating hormone window” combined with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist cetrorelix). Fertil Steril. 2000;73:1051–1054
  8. Olivennes F, Alvarez S, Bouchard P, Fanchin R, Salat-Baroux J, Frydman R. The use of a GnRH antagonist (Cetrorelix) in a single dose protocol in IVF–embryo transfer (a dose finding study of 3 versus 2 mg). Hum Reprod. 1998;13:2411–2414
  9. Albano C, Felberbaum RE, Smitz J, Riethmuller-Winzen H, Engel J, Diedrich K, et al.  Ovarian stimulation with HMG (results of a prospective randomized phase III European study comparing the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)-antagonist cetrorelix and the LHRH-agonist buserelin. European Cetrorelix Study Group). Hum Reprod. 2000;15:526–531
  10. Felberbaum RE, Albano C, Ludwig M, Riethmuller-Winzen H, Grigat M, Devroey P, et al.  Ovarian stimulation for assisted reproduction with HMG and concomitant midcycle administration of the GnRH antagonist cetrorelix according to the multiple dose protocol (a prospective uncontrolled phase III study). Hum Reprod. 2000;15:1015–1020
  11. Van Steirteghem AC, Nagy Z, Joris H, Liu J, Staessen C, Smitz J, et al.  High fertilization and implantation rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod. 1993;8:1061–1066
  12. Devroey P, Tjandraprawira K, Mannaerts B, Coelingh Bennink H, Smitz J, Bonduelle M, et al.  A randomized, assessor-blind, group-comparative efficacy study to compare the effects of Normegon and Metrodin in infertile female patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization. Hum Reprod. 1995;10:332–337
  13. Staessen C, Camus M, Bollen N, Devroey P, Van Steirteghem AC. The relationship between embryo quality and the occurrence of multiple pregnancies. Fertil Steril. 1992;57:626–630
  14. Gardner DK, Schoolcraft WB. In-vitro culture of human blastocysts. In:  Jansen R,  Mortimer D editor. Towards reproductive certainty: infertility and genetics beyond 1999. Carnforth, UK: Parthenon Press; 1999;p. 377–388
  15. Conaghan J, Dimitry ES, Mills M, Margara RA, Winston RM. Delayed human chorionic gonadotropin administration for in-vitro fertilisation. Lancet. 1989;1:1323–1324
  16. Dimitry ES, Oskarsson T, Conaghan J, Margara R, Winston RM. Beneficial effects of a 24 h delay in human chorionic gonadotrophin administration during in-vitro fertilization treatment cycles. Hum Reprod. 1991;6:944–946
  17. Tan SL, Balen A, el Hussein E, Mills C, Campbell S, Yovich J, et al.  A prospective randomized study of the optimum timing of human chorionic gonadotropin administration after pituitary desensitization in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1992;57:1259–1264
  18. Findlay JK, Britt K, Kerr JB, O'Donnell L, Jones ME, Drummond AE, et al.  The road to ovulation (the role of oestrogens). Reprod Fertil Dev. 2001;13:543–547
  19. Drummond AE, Findlay JK. The role of estrogen in folliculogenesis. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 1999;151:57–64
  20. Palter SF, Tavares AB, Hourvitz A, Veldhuis JD, Adashi EY. Are estrogens of import to primate/human ovarian folliculogenesis?. Endocrinol Rev. 2001;22:389–424
  21. Schoot DC, Coelingh Bennink HJ, Mannaerts BM, Lamberts SW, Bouchard P, Fauser BC. Human recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone induces growth of preovulatory follicles without concomitant increase in androgen and estrogen biosynthesis in a woman with isolated gonadotropin deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992;74:1471–1473
  22. Shoham Z, Mannaerts B, Insler V, Coelingh-Bennink H. Induction of follicular growth using recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone in two volunteer women with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Fertil Steril. 1993;59:738–742
  23. Couzinet B, Lestrat N, Brailly S, Forest M, Schaison G. Stimulation of ovarian follicular maturation with pure follicle-stimulating hormone in women with gonadotropin deficiency. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988;66:552–556
  24. Clark L, Stanger J, Brinsmead M. Prolonged follicle stimulation decreases pregnancy rates after in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril. 1991;55:1192–1194
  25. Paulson RJ, Sauer MV, Lobo RA. Embryo implantation after human in vitro fertilization (importance of endometrial receptivity). Fertil Steril. 1990;53:870–874
  26. Marchini M, Fedele L, Bianchi S, Losa GA, Ghisletta M, Candiani GB. Secretory changes in preovulatory endometrium during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with buserelin acetate and human gonadotropins. Fertil Steril. 1991;55:717–721
  27. Lessey BA, Killam AP, Metzger DA, Haney AF, Greene GL, McCarty KS. Immunohistochemical analysis of human uterine estrogen and progesterone receptors throughout the menstrual cycle. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1988;67:334–340
  28. Ubaldi F, Bourgain C, Tournaye H, Smitz J, Van Steirteghem A, Devroey P. Endometrial evaluation by aspiration biopsy on the day of oocyte retrieval in the embryo transfer cycles in patients with serum progesterone rise during the follicular phase. Fertil Steril. 1997;67:521–526

☆ This work is supported by grants from the Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders.

PII: S0015-0282(04)00604-1

doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.01.027

Fertility and Sterility
Volume 82, Issue 1 , Pages 102-107 , July 2004

Article Tools