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. 2025 Jan 14:15:1457866.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1457866. eCollection 2024.

The effects of growth hormone on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in age-grouped patients with decreased ovarian reserve: a prospective cohort study

Jiexiu Chen  1 , Xumei Kong  2 , Zonghui Luan  2 , Yu Qiu  2   3 , Shiqi Chen  2 , Jesse Li Ling  4 , Yan Gong  2
Affiliations

The effects of growth hormone on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in age-grouped patients with decreased ovarian reserve: a prospective cohort study

Jiexiu Chen et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Background: Growth hormone (GH) could improve the outcomes of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) in patients with decreased ovarian reserve (DOR), but which age group will benefit the most has remained controversial. This study aims to explore the outcome of IVF-ET among differently aged patients with DOR treated with GH.

Methods: A total of 846 patients with DOR undergoing IVF-ET from May 2018 to June 2023 at the Reproductive Medicine Center of Sichuan Provincial Women's and Children's Hospital were prospectively enrolled. The patients were divided into group A (< 35 year old, n = 399), group B (35 ~ 40 year old, n = 286), and group C (> 40 year old, n = 161). Each group was sub-divided into the GH part and the control part, with the former receiving pretreatment with GH 4 IU/day on day 2 of the previous menstrual cycle before the injection of gonadotrophin (Gn) until the trigger day. The ovarian stimulation protocol was gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-A) or long-acting GnRH agonist protocol. The quality of oocytes and embryos and the outcome of pregnancy were compared.

Results: In group B, the number (1.16 ± 0.12 vs. 0.74 ± 0.09) and rate (34.27% vs. 23.90%) of high-quality cleavage embryos, rate of implantation (32.37% vs. 22.35%), clinical pregnancy (48.98% vs. 33.67%), and live birth (44.90% vs. 29.59%) were significantly higher, whereas the canceled oocyte retrieval rate was significantly lower (1.49% vs. 6.58%) in the GH part than those of the control part (P < 0.05). In group B, the duration and dose of Gn, number of oocyte retrieved, and rates of normal fertilization, cleavage embryo, blastocyst, high-quality blastocyst, and early miscarriage were not significantly different between the GH and control parts (P > 0.05). In groups A and C, no significant difference was detected in the quality of embryos and outcomes of embryo transfer with or without pretreatment (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: GH could improve the quality of embryos and live birth rate for patients with DOR aged 35-40 years old.

Keywords: decreased ovarian reserve; female age; growth hormone; in vitro fertilization; live birth.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the recruitment process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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