Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Agonist (GnRHa) Versus Estrogen and Progesterone for Luteal Support in High Responders

Summary

Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone agonist (GnRHa) triggering is used as an alternative to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in GnRH antagonist protocol to eliminate the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). However, its main disadvantage is a significantly lower pregnancy rate, hypothesized to result from a process called "luteolysis" (demise of the corpora lutea). In order to preserve a high pregnancy rates, several luteal support regimens were investigated, including an intensive estrogen and progesterone supplementation and a daily GnRHa treatment. However, no study, so far, compared the efficacy of these two regimens. Our aim is to compare the efficacy of GnRHa versus estrogen and progesterone supplementation for luteal phase support in high responders following GnRHa triggering.

Timeline

Start

2017-12-29

Primary completion

2021-09-30

Completion

2021-09-30

Publications

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• Background Leth-Moller K, Hammer Jagd S, Humaidan P. The Luteal Phase after GnRHa Trigger-Understanding An Enigma. Int J Fertil Steril. 2014 Oct;8(3):227-34. Epub 2014 Nov 1.
• Background Youssef MA, Van der Veen F, Al-Inany HG, Mochtar MH, Griesinger G, Nagi Mohesen M, Aboulfoutouh I, van Wely M. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist versus HCG for oocyte triggering in antagonist-assisted reproductive technology. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Oct 31;2014(10):CD008046. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008046.pub4.
• Background Atkinson P, Koch J, Ledger WL. GnRH agonist trigger and a freeze-all strategy to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a retrospective study of OHSS risk and pregnancy rates. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2014 Dec;54(6):581-5. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12277.
• Background van der Linden M, Buckingham K, Farquhar C, Kremer JA, Metwally M. Luteal phase support for assisted reproduction cycles. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Jul 7;2015(7):CD009154. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009154.pub3.
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• Background Isherwood PJ, Ibrahim ZH, Matson PL, Morroll DR, Burslem RW, Lieberman BA. Endocrine changes in women conceiving during treatment with an LHRH agonist. Hum Reprod. 1990 May;5(4):409-12. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137112.
• Background Jackson AE, Curtis P, Amso N, Shaw RW. Exposure to LHRH agonists in early pregnancy following the commencement of mid-luteal buserelin for IVF stimulation. Hum Reprod. 1992 Oct;7(9):1222-4. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a137830.
• Background Elefant E, Biour B, Blumberg-Tick J, Roux C, Thomas F. Administration of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist during pregnancy: follow-up of 28 pregnancies exposed to triptoreline. Fertil Steril. 1995 May;63(5):1111-3. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)57557-8.
• Background Balasch J, Martinez F, Jove I, Cabre L, Coroleu B, Barri PN, Vanrell JA. Inadvertent gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) administration in the luteal phase may improve fecundity in in-vitro fertilization patients. Hum Reprod. 1993 Jul;8(7):1148-51. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a138210.
• Background Wilshire GB, Emmi AM, Gagliardi CC, Weiss G. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist administration in early human pregnancy is associated with normal outcomes. Fertil Steril. 1993 Dec;60(6):980-3. doi: 10.1016/s0015-0282(16)56396-1.
• Background Weissman A, Shoham Z. Favourable pregnancy outcome after administration of a long-acting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist in the mid-luteal phase. Hum Reprod. 1993 Mar;8(3):496-7. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a138079.
• Background Young DC, Snabes MC, Poindexter AN 3rd. GnRH agonist exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 1993 Apr;81(4):587-9.
• Background Gartner B, Moreno C, Marinaro A, Remohi J, Simon C, Pellicer A. Accidental exposure to daily long-acting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue administration and pregnancy in an in-vitro fertilization cycle. Hum Reprod. 1997 Nov;12(11):2557-9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/12.11.2557.
• Background Tesarik J, Hazout A, Mendoza C. Enhancement of embryo developmental potential by a single administration of GnRH agonist at the time of implantation. Hum Reprod. 2004 May;19(5):1176-80. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deh235. Epub 2004 Apr 7.
• Background Tesarik J, Hazout A, Mendoza-Tesarik R, Mendoza N, Mendoza C. Beneficial effect of luteal-phase GnRH agonist administration on embryo implantation after ICSI in both GnRH agonist- and antagonist-treated ovarian stimulation cycles. Hum Reprod. 2006 Oct;21(10):2572-9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/del173. Epub 2006 Aug 22.
• Background Pirard C, Loumaye E, Laurent P, Wyns C. Contribution to More Patient-Friendly ART Treatment: Efficacy of Continuous Low-Dose GnRH Agonist as the Only Luteal Support-Results of a Prospective, Randomized, Comparative Study. Int J Endocrinol. 2015;2015:727569. doi: 10.1155/2015/727569. Epub 2015 Apr 5.
• Background Bar-Hava I, Mizrachi Y, Karfunkel-Doron D, Omer Y, Sheena L, Carmon N, Ben-David G. Intranasal gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) for luteal-phase support following GnRHa triggering, a novel approach to avoid ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in high responders. Fertil Steril. 2016 Aug;106(2):330-3. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.04.004. Epub 2016 Apr 22.

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