This randomized controlled trial will compare two starting doses of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), 225 IU and 300 IU, during progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) who have a good reproductive prognosis. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 225 IU or 300 IU of FSH at the start of ovarian stimulation. The study will evaluate whether the starting FSH dose affects oocyte and embryo outcomes, with blastocyst formation as the primary outcome. Other outcomes will include oocyte morphology, fertilization, embryo development, and embryo quality. The findings may help determine an appropriate starting FSH dose for women with a good prognosis undergoing IVF using the PPOS protocol.
This study is designed to evaluate whether the starting dose of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) affects oocyte and embryo outcomes in women with a good prognosis undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) using a progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol. The optimal gonadotropin dose for women with a good prognosis remains uncertain. Although higher FSH doses may increase ovarian stimulation intensity, greater gonadotropin exposure may not necessarily improve oocyte or embryo outcomes. Conversely, a lower starting dose may provide adequate ovarian stimulation while reducing medication exposure. Therefore, this study will compare two starting FSH doses, 225 IU and 300 IU, in women with a good reproductive prognosis. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to receive either 225 IU or 300 IU of FSH as the starting dose during PPOS. The study will assess whether the starting FSH dose is associated with differences in oocyte characteristics, fertilization, embryo development, and blastocyst formation. The primary outcome is blastocyst formation rate. Secondary outcomes will include oocyte morphology, fertilization rate, cleavage-stage embryo development and quality, and blastocyst quality and usability. Participants will also be followed through the first frozen embryo transfer cycle using embryos generated during the study cycle. Outcomes of the first frozen embryo transfer cycle will be assessed as prespecified secondary outcomes. The results of this study may provide evidence to guide the selection of an appropriate starting FSH dose for women with a good prognosis undergoing IVF with PPOS.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
380
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is administered by subcutaneous injection as the gonadotropin for ovarian stimulation in a progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol. Participants are randomized to receive either 225 IU or 300 IU of FSH daily according to their assigned study arm, and the assigned dose is maintained unchanged throughout the ovarian stimulation period.
An Sinh Hospital
Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Blastulation rate
The proportion of blastocysts formed among all mature (MII) oocytes subjected to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), calculated as the total number of blastocysts divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: From ICSI to Day 6 of embryo culture
Oocyte morphology abnormality rate
The proportion of retrieved oocytes that exhibit one or more morphological abnormalities, calculated as the number of retrieved oocytes with morphological abnormalities divided by the total number of oocytes retrieved, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: At the time of oocyte denudation, prior to ICSI
Fertilization rate
The proportion of mature (MII) oocytes subjected to ICSI that are normally fertilized, defined by the presence of two pronuclei (2PN), calculated as the number of normally fertilized oocytes divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: Approximately 16-18 hours after ICSI
Cleavage embryo formation rate
The proportion of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI that develop into cleavage-stage embryos, calculated as the number of cleavage-stage embryos divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: Approximately 68-72 hours after ICSI
Good-quality cleavage-stage embryo rate
The proportion of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI that result in good-quality cleavage-stage embryos, according to the morphological criteria prespecified in the study protocol, calculated as the number of good-quality cleavage-stage embryos divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: Approximately 68-72 hours after ICSI
Good-quality blastocyst rate
The proportion of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI that result in good-quality blastocysts, according to the morphological criteria prespecified in the study protocol, calculated as the number of good-quality blastocysts divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: From Day 5 to Day 6 after ICSI
Usable blastocyst rate
The proportion of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI that result in usable blastocysts, according to the criteria prespecified in the study protocol, calculated as the number of usable blastocysts divided by the total number of MII oocytes subjected to ICSI, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: From Day 5 to Day 6 after ICSI
Biochemical pregnancy rate
The proportion of first frozen embryo transfer cycles with a positive serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) test, defined according to the prespecified threshold in the study protocol, among all first frozen embryo transfer cycles.
Time frame: Approximately 14 days after frozen embryo transfer
Clinical pregnancy rate
The proportion of first frozen embryo transfer cycles resulting in a clinical pregnancy, defined by the presence of at least one gestational sac on ultrasound, calculated as the number of clinical pregnancies divided by the number of first frozen embryo transfer cycles, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: Approximately 5-7 weeks after frozen embryo transfer
Ongoing pregnancy rate
The proportion of first frozen embryo transfer cycles resulting in an ongoing pregnancy, according to the definition prespecified in the study protocol, calculated as the number of ongoing pregnancies divided by the number of first frozen embryo transfer cycles, multiplied by 100.
Time frame: Approximately 12 weeks after frozen embryo transfer
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