Cumulative Pregnancy Rate With Lower and Higher Gonadotropin Dose During IVF Among Poor Responders

Summary

Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is an important step during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Its aim optimally is to recruit 10-15 oocytes. When deciding on the actual treatment, different stimulation protocols, various stimulating agents and wide range of gonadotropin dose can one choose from. Prior to the decision on the actual stimulation protocol and gonadotropin (Gn) dose the patient's expected response to stimulation is assessed primarily using ovarian reserve markers. Most medications used during stimulation exert their effect in a dose-dependent manner hence with a higher Gn dose one would expect a better response, more oocytes. More oocytes could translate into more embryos and potentially a higher pregnancy rate. The currently available evidence however does not support this practice as randomized controlled trials (RCT) have failed to show that the use of higher Gn dose results in higher pregnancy, live-birth rates. These studies however identified patients based on different criteria, compared different stimulation protocols and various Gn doses. There are only two RCTs that compared cumulative live birth rates (fresh + frozen embryo transfers) and they identified poor responders based on different criteria and used different drug regimens. Therefore, the aim of our study is to compare cumulative IVF clinical pregnancy rates using a lower and a higher gonadotropin dose among poor responders identified based on universally accepted criteria.

Timeline

Start

2021-12-02

Primary completion

2023-07-20

Completion

2023-07-20

Publications

• Results van der Gaast MH, Eijkemans MJ, van der Net JB, de Boer EJ, Burger CW, van Leeuwen FE, Fauser BC, Macklon NS. Optimum number of oocytes for a successful first IVF treatment cycle. Reprod Biomed Online. 2006 Oct;13(4):476-80. doi: 10.1016/s1472-6483(10)60633-5.
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• Results Nelson SM, Yates RW, Lyall H, Jamieson M, Traynor I, Gaudoin M, Mitchell P, Ambrose P, Fleming R. Anti-Mullerian hormone-based approach to controlled ovarian stimulation for assisted conception. Hum Reprod. 2009 Apr;24(4):867-75. doi: 10.1093/humrep/den480. Epub 2009 Jan 10.
• Results Nelson SM. Biomarkers of ovarian response: current and future applications. Fertil Steril. 2013 Mar 15;99(4):963-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.11.051. Epub 2013 Jan 8.
• Results La Marca A, Sunkara SK. Individualization of controlled ovarian stimulation in IVF using ovarian reserve markers: from theory to practice. Hum Reprod Update. 2014 Jan-Feb;20(1):124-40. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmt037. Epub 2013 Sep 29.
• Results Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Electronic address: [email protected]; Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Testing and interpreting measures of ovarian reserve: a committee opinion. Fertil Steril. 2020 Dec;114(6):1151-1157. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.09.134.
• Results Ferraretti AP, La Marca A, Fauser BC, Tarlatzis B, Nargund G, Gianaroli L; ESHRE working group on Poor Ovarian Response Definition. ESHRE consensus on the definition of 'poor response' to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: the Bologna criteria. Hum Reprod. 2011 Jul;26(7):1616-24. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der092. Epub 2011 Apr 19.
• Results Poseidon Group (Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number); Alviggi C, Andersen CY, Buehler K, Conforti A, De Placido G, Esteves SC, Fischer R, Galliano D, Polyzos NP, Sunkara SK, Ubaldi FM, Humaidan P. A new more detailed stratification of low responders to ovarian stimulation: from a poor ovarian response to a low prognosis concept. Fertil Steril. 2016 Jun;105(6):1452-3. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.02.005. Epub 2016 Feb 26. No abstract available.
• Results Leijdekkers JA, Torrance HL, Schouten NE, van Tilborg TC, Oudshoorn SC, Mol BWJ, Eijkemans MJC, Broekmans FJM. Individualized ovarian stimulation in IVF/ICSI treatment: it is time to stop using high FSH doses in predicted low responders. Hum Reprod. 2020 Sep 1;35(9):1954-1963. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dez184.
• Results van Tilborg TC, Torrance HL, Oudshoorn SC, Eijkemans MJC, Koks CAM, Verhoeve HR, Nap AW, Scheffer GJ, Manger AP, Schoot BC, Sluijmer AV, Verhoeff A, Groen H, Laven JSE, Mol BWJ, Broekmans FJM; OPTIMIST study group. Individualized versus standard FSH dosing in women starting IVF/ICSI: an RCT. Part 1: The predicted poor responder. Hum Reprod. 2017 Dec 1;32(12):2496-2505. doi: 10.1093/humrep/dex318.
• Results Liu X, Li T, Wang B, Xiao X, Liang X, Huang R. Mild stimulation protocol vs conventional controlled ovarian stimulation protocol in poor ovarian response patients: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020 May;301(5):1331-1339. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05513-6. Epub 2020 Mar 24.
• Results Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Electronic address: [email protected]. Comparison of pregnancy rates for poor responders using IVF with mild ovarian stimulation versus conventional IVF: a guideline. Fertil Steril. 2018 Jun;109(6):993-999. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.03.019.
• Results Arce JC, Larsson P, Garcia-Velasco JA. Establishing the follitropin delta dose that provides a comparable ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa. Reprod Biomed Online. 2020 Oct;41(4):616-622. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2020.07.006. Epub 2020 Jul 15.
• Results Nyboe Andersen A, Nelson SM, Fauser BC, Garcia-Velasco JA, Klein BM, Arce JC; ESTHER-1 study group. Individualized versus conventional ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, phase 3 noninferiority trial. Fertil Steril. 2017 Feb;107(2):387-396.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.10.033. Epub 2016 Nov 29.
• Results Bosch E, Havelock J, Martin FS, Rasmussen BB, Klein BM, Mannaerts B, Arce JC; ESTHER-2 Study Group. Follitropin delta in repeated ovarian stimulation for IVF: a controlled, assessor-blind Phase 3 safety trial. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019 Feb;38(2):195-205. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.10.012. Epub 2018 Dec 14.
• Results Ishihara O, Klein BM, Arce JC; Japanese Follitropin Delta Phase 2 Trial Group. Randomized, assessor-blind, antimullerian hormone-stratified, dose-response trial in Japanese in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta. Fertil Steril. 2021 Jun;115(6):1478-1486. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.10.059. Epub 2020 Dec 4.

Drugs

Indications