A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED STUDY TO ASSESS THE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF GONADOTROPINS ADMINISTERED SUBCUTANEOUSLY AND INTRAMUSCULARLY

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy of gona dotrophins administered s.c. or i.m., in a prospective randomized stud y of women undergoing invitro fertilization (IVF) treatment at a terti ary referral centre. In all, 71 patients undergoing a total of 162 IVF treatment cycles were randomized to receive either s.c, (n = 41) or i ,m. (n = 30) administration of gonadotrophins. Up to three cycles of I VF were assessed for each patient. The main outcome measures were the number of oocytes retrieved, the total amount of gonadotrophins used, the number of follicles recruited and the cumulative pregnancy and liv e birth rates. The mean number of oocytes retrieved was 10.5 for each group. The number of days of stimulation was significantly shorter for the s,c, group (11.7 +/- 1.9 days, mean C SD) than the i,m, group (12 .6 +/- 2.3 days), The cumulative conception and live birth rates after three cycles of treatment were similar between the two groups. Our re sults suggest that the clinical efficacy of s,c, and i,m, administrati on of gonadotrophins is comparable, Both routes are well tolerated by patients.