METHODS: The medical notes of 209 IVF cycles receiving GnRH agonist and hCG as ovulation trigger over 18 months were reviewed in this retrospective study. The number and quality of mature oocytes, the number and quality of embryos, pregnancy rates, and outcomes were compared using Independent T-test or One-way ANOVA for normal distribution. The Mann-Whitney test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used for not normally distributed. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: The cycle outcomes of 107 GnRH agonist-trigger and 102 hCG-trigger were compared. The MII oocytes retrieved and 2PN count was significantly higher in the GnRH agonist trigger group (p<0.001). Clinical pregnancy rate and ongoing pregnancy were higher in the GnRH agonist trigger group but were not statistically significant. The GnRH agonist trigger group was associated with low OHSS than the hCG trigger group (n=2(1.9%) and n=12(11.8%) respectively, p=0.004).
CONCLUSION: GnRH agonist trigger is an option as a final maturation trigger in high-responder women undergoing IVF or ICSI cycles.
DESIGN: Clinical case report.
SETTINGS: Tertiary referral center for infertility.
PATIENT(S): A married couple with primary subfertility secondary to azoospermia and male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. The husband was a bodybuilder who admitted to have used the anabolic steroids testosterone cypionate, methandrostenolone, oxandrolone, testosterone propionate, oxymetholone, nandrolone decanoate, and methenolone enanthate.
INTERVENTION(S): Twice-weekly injections of 10,000 IU of hCG (Profasi; Serono) and daily injections of 75 IU of hMG (Humegon; Organon) for 3 months.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Semen analyses, pregnancy.
RESULT(S): Semen analyses returned to normal after 3 months of treatment. The couple conceived spontaneously 7 months later.
CONCLUSION(S): Steroid-induced azoospermia that is persistent after cessation of steroid use can be treated successfully with hCG and hMG.