Embryology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Embryology, including details on stem cells, reproduction, transplants, cloning.

Triggering of final oocyte maturation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist or human chorionic gonadotropin. Live birth after frozen-thawed embryo replacement cycles.

Griesinger G, Kolibianakis EM, Papanikolaou EG, Diedrich K, Van Steirteghem A, Devroey P, Ejdrup Bredkjaer H, Humaidan P

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Clinic of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany. georg.griesinger@frauenklinik.uni-luebeck.de <georg.griesinger@frauenklinik.uni-luebeck.de>

OBJECTIVE: To report the outcome of frozen-thawed embryo replacement cycles after GnRH-agonist triggering of final oocyte maturation in the collecting cycle with GnRH-antagonist. DESIGN: Prospective, observational, multicentric clinical study. SETTING: Tertiary university-affiliated IVF centers. PATIENT(S): Patients under observation previously had been recruited into two concurrently performed, independent, randomized controlled trials (comparing hCG with GnRH-agonist for triggering final oocyte maturation in GnRH-antagonist multiple-dose protocols in normal responder patients) encompassing a total of 228 participants. Surplus embryos or oocytes at the pronuclear stage were cryopreserved in 53 patients after hCG administration and 32 patients after GnRH-agonist administration on the basis of patient choice, pronuclear/embryo availability, and local laws. INTERVENTION(S): Transfer of frozen-thawed embryos. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Live birth rate. RESULT(S): Thirty-one and 23 patients after administration of hCG and GnRH-agonist, respectively, started a frozen-embryo replacement cycle by September 2005, with 25 and 16 patients eventually undergoing at least one frozen-thawed ET. Live birth rate per ET was 18.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.2-36.7) and 30.0% (95% CI, 14.5-51.9) after hCG and GnRH-agonist triggering, respectively. Cumulative live birth rate per patient starting a frozen-embryo replacement cycle was 16.1% (95% CI, 7.1-32.6) and 26.1% (95% CI, 12.5-46.5) for hCG and GnRH-agonist, respectively. CONCLUSION(S): The likelihood of live birth in frozen-embryo replacement cycles after GnRH-agonist triggering of final oocyte maturation does not appear to be impaired.

Published 11 September 2007 in Fertil Steril, 88(3): 616-21.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Embryology Research Today. All Rights Reserved.