Recombinant follicle stimulating hormone stimulation in poor responders with normal basal concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone and oestradiol: improved reproductive outcome

A total of 30 young infertile patients who exhibited a poor response in two previous consecutive cycles, despite having normal basal follicle stimulat ing hormone (FSH) and oestradiol concentrations, were invited to participat e in a prospective randomized study comparing the clinical efficacy of reco mbinant (rFSH) and urinary (uFSH) follicle stimulating hormone, An evaluati on of the total dose used (3800 IU versus 4600 IU, P < 0.05) and duration o f treatment (10.2 days versus 13.2 days, P < 0.05) showed a significantly s horter treatment period as well as a significantly lower total dose of FSH required to induce ovulation successfully in the group of patients treated with rFSH, Significantly more oocytes (7.2 versus 5.6, P < 0.05) as well as mature oocytes (5.9 versus 3.2, P < 0.01) were retrieved after rFSH treatm ent, In addition, significantly more good quality embryos were obtained (3. 4 versus 1.8, P < 0.05) in the group of patients treated with rFSH and, as a result, higher pregnancy (33 versus 7%, P < 0.01) and implantation (16 ve rsus 3%, P< 0.01) rates were achieved in these patients. It is concluded th at rFSH is more effective than uFSH in inducing multifollicular development and achieving pregnancy in young low responders.