THE LUTEAL-PHASE OF NONSUPPLEMENTED CYCLES AFTER OVARIAN SUPEROVULATION WITH HUMAN MENOPAUSAL GONADOTROPIN AND THE GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING-HORMONE ANTAGONIST CETVORELIX

Objective: To analyze the luteal phase of six patients undergoing cont rolled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) with hMG and a new GnRH antagoni st, Cetrorelix, without receiving luteal phase supplementation. Design : Phase II study involving the first six patients who did not receive luteal phase support. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patient(s): S ix healthy women undergoing COH for assisted reproductive techniques. Intervention(s): Oocyte retrieval was performed 36 hours after hCG adm inistration, followed by embryo transfer 2 days later. No luteal phase supplementation was given. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum E-2, proges terone, LH, and FSH concentrations were measured. Result(s): The lengt h of the luteal phase was less than or equal to 12 days in three of th e six patients. One of the patients in whom the luteal phase was >12 d ays had a low serum progesterone concentration (2.9 ng/mL) on day 10. Serum LH concentrations decreased after the preovulatory hCG injection in all patients. However, a progressive increase in LH was observed a fter day 7, reaching normal values. Conclusion(s): Corpus luteum funct ion seems to be impaired in cycles that are stimulated with hMG and th e GnRH antagonist Cetrorelix. (Fertil Sterile 1998;70:357-9; (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.).