Recombinant luteinizing hormone in ovarian hyperstimulation after stimulation failure in normogonadotropic women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an additional administration of recombinant luteinizing hormone (r-LH) to a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) long protocol using recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH). In particular we determined whether such a stimulation protocol would be more effective in women (1) who respond poorly to stimulation with GnRHa long protocol using r-FSH only, and (2) whose LH concentrations after down-regulation in the cancelled cycle were low but above the values reported in the literature to be sufficient for folliculogenesis. After GnRHa desensitization 150 IU r-FSH and 75 IU r-LH were administered subcutaneously daily to six normogonadotropic women with low response to ovarian hyperstimulation using a GnRHa long protocol with r-FSH and low LH concentrations after down-regulation in the cancelled cycle. All six women had an oocyte retrieval and an embryo transfer after follicular stimulation. One women conceived but had a miscarriage in the eleventh week of gestation. Our results suggest that women with low response to a GnRHa long protocol with r-FSH, and whose LH concentration after down-regulation in the cancelled cycles were low, benefit from the additional administration of r-LH in a GnRHa long protocol using r-FSH. It seems that due to the additional administration of r-LH the LH concentration in the follicular phase is sufficient to support folliculogenesis.