A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 3 OVULATION INDUCTION PROTOCOLS IN POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN DISEASE PATIENTS IN AN INVITRO FERTILIZATION EMBRYO TRANSFER PROGRAM

Purpose: This study compares the results of three ovulation induction protocols in polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) patients undergoing an in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program. A total of 85 cycles was studied. The patients were treated with clomiphene citrate (CC) plus human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) (CC/hMG group), with purified menofollitropin (pFSH) plus hMG (pFSH/hMG group), and with pFSH/hMG plus gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) (analogue group). In the analogue group the suppression of luteinizing hormone (LH) with GnRH-a decreased the number of follicles <12 mm on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration and the number and percentage of immature oocytes retrieved and increased the percentage of mature oocytes retrieved. Results: However, fertilization rates of oocytes, cleaved embryo rates, pregnancy rates following replacement, and pregnancy outcomes were not different. Conclusion: Although the suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis with GnRH-a in PCOD patients improved follicular synchrony and oocyte maturity, none of the ovulation induction protocols was superior to the others with respect to pregnancy rates and pregnancy outcomes.