Twice-daily dosing of gonadotropins does not improve embryo quality during in vitro fertilization cycles in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, when compared to once-daily dosing: a pilot study

Abstract

To determine whether overexpression of the FSH receptor in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) results in a relative deficiency of gonadotropins and poor oocyte and embryo quality during in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Whether twice-daily dosing of gonadotropins could therefore result in improved embryo quality, by fixing this hypothesized relative deficiency of gonadotropins. Embryos generated at a university-based fertility center in women with PCOS were compared from twice-daily dosing to once-daily dosing of gonadotropins during IVF cycles. Oocyte and embryo quality was compared. A single patient's embryos were included in the analysis from only one IVF cycle and all embryos from that cycle were included. 254 embryos were compared. Twice-daily vs. once-daily dosing of gonadotropins does not improve embryo or oocyte quality in women with PCOS. The defect in response to gonadotropins in PCOS is most likely due to an inherent defect in the ovary and not a relative deficiency of gonadotropins due to overexpression of the FSH receptors. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.