Infertile polycystic ovary syndrome patients undergoing in vitro fertilization with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone-antagonist protocol: role of hyperandrogenism

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study is to assess the effects of hyperandrogenism (HA) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-antagonist protocol during in vitro fertilization (IVF). Total 892 infertile Patients between 20 and 35 years of age with normal body mass index (BMI, 18.50 −24.99 kg/m2), including those with tubal factor infertility (control, n = 318), PCOS infertility with HA (HA PCOS, n = 244), and PCOS infertility without HA (non-HA PCOS, n = 330), were included. Number of retrieved oocytes was significantly higher and total Gonadotropin consumption was significant lower in the HA PCOS group, whereas abortion rate was significantly higher and live birth rate was significantly lower in the HA PCOS group, compared with the control and non-HA PCOS groups. In the HA PCOS group, the number of available embryos tended to be higher with no significance. The GnRH-antagonist protocol is more suitable for HA PCOS patients, with lower cost and more number of embryos available for transfer. Due to the high abortion rate and low live birth rate, a freeze-all approach might be a preferable option for HA PCOS patients so as to create a buffer for reducing androgen levels before transferring freeze-thawed embryos.