Adjuvant Growth Therapy in in Vitro Fertilization

Overview

In an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycle super ovulating drugs (gonadotropins) are usually taken to stimulate the ovaries to produce more than one egg. In Vitro Fertilization protocols are constantly under review in order to improve the recruitment of the follicles, which contain the eggs, whilst minimizing the doses of gonadotrophins required, with the ultimate aim of increasing the live birth rate.

The addition of growth hormone, which is a biological hormone that can be synthetically produced, as a supplement to gonadotrophins in an In Vitro Fertilization cycle has been suggested as a way in which In Vitro Fertilization pregnancy rates may be increased.Growth hormone has been shown, in animal and human studies, to be important in the recruitment of follicles.However, to date, only a limited number of clinical studies have been performed in order to assess whether the addition of growth hormone can improve the probability of pregnancy in women undergoing ovarian stimulation for In Vitro Fertilization. As the total number of patients analysed in these studies was small it has not been possible to determine whether if there is any improvement the outcome of an In Vitro Fertilization cycle when a woman is given growth hormone therapy as a supplement during her treatment. This goal of this study is to determine the effectiveness of using growth hormone therapy as a supplement to the administration of gonadotropins in an antagonist In Vitro Fertilization protocol.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes