New stimulation regimens with recombinant FSH (Puregon) in in-vitro fertilization

Abstract

Traditionally, ovarian stimulation in anovulatory women or controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in women undergoing assisted reproduction techniques like in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) was done with gonadotropins derived from urinary sources. These compounds originally contained equal amounts of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and were known as human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) because they were derived from postmenopausal urine. Later, FSH-only urinary preparations became available as it increasingly became apparent that endogenous LH activity in the majority of patients was sufficient to support FSH-induced steroidogenesis.