A PROTOCOL USING A LOW-DOSE OF GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING-HORMONE AGONISTMIGHT BE THE BEST PROTOCOL FOR PATIENTS WITH HIGH FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS ON DAY 3

We studied 98 in-vitro fertilization (IVF) patients with a high basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH; >6.5 IU/l) concentration on day 3 w ho were treated with a low dose gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonis t (GnRHa) protocol and who had received in the previous 6 months a lon g protocol with GnRHa in a depot formula, The evaluation was made usin g the previous IVF cycle of the same patient as a control, The mean +/ - SD age of the patients was 34.1 +/- 4.2 years, The use of a low dose agonist protocol ended with significantly less ampoules (37.5 versus 46.1), a shorter duration of stimulation (10.7 versus 12.3 days), a hi gher oestradiol concentration on day 8 (1068 versus 495 pg/ml), a high er number of mature oocytes (5.9 versus 4.4) and a higher number of go od quality embryos (3.3 versus 2.3), The cancellation rate was lower ( 11 versus 24%), A GnRHa low dose protocol may be the protocol of choic e for patients with high FSH concentrations on day 3, Larger randomize d studies are needed to confirm these data.