LH improves early follicular recruitment in women over 38 years old

Abstract

Although the capacity of recombinant FSH alone to induce folliculogenesis is undisputed, many believe that follicular recruitment in women over 38 years old could be improved by supplementing rFSH with human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG). The present study sought to determine whether recombinant LH could reproduce the effect of HMG in women over 38 years during ovulation induction. Fifty-eight patients received rFSH (225 IU/day) supplemented with one ampoule of HMG (75 IU of FSH/75 IU of LH/HCG per day) for 5 days. Another 36 patients received rFSH (300 IU/day) supplemented with one ampoule of rLH (75 IU/day), also for 5 days. Both groups of patients received similar amounts of rFSH (1500 IU), LH/HCG (375 IU) and rLH (375 IU) and recruited a similar number of follicles as counted on day 6 (4.07 ± 3.1 in the HMG group versus 3.7 ± 3.2 in the LH group respectively) or on the day that human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was indicated (6.5 ± 2.7 versus 5.8 ± 2.5 respectively). Ovarian stimulation was shorter, but not significantly so, in the group of patients receiving rFSH + HMG (10.5 ± 1.7 days) than in the group of patients treated with rFSH ± rLH (12 ± 1.8 days). Significantly more MII oocytes were seen in the group treated with rFSH + rLH than in the group treated with rFSH + HMG (93.1 versus 75.3%, P < 0.05). With respect to pregnancy rates, 14/54 (26%) patients receiving rFSH + HMG and 16/34 (47%) patients receiving rFSH + rLH had a positive serum HCG. No significant difference in the number of miscarriages was observed between the two groups. In conclusion, the present results seem to indicate that rLH could be the HMG component that aids early follicular recruitment.