Individualized vs standard ovarian stimulation for IVF

This paper compared individualized versus conventional ovarian stimulation in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Authors concluded that individualized dosing for ovarian stimulation is as efficient and safer than conventional ovarian stimulation.

IVF is a procedure where the sperm fertilizes the egg in a laboratory dish outside the body. The fertilized egg is then implanted into the woman’s uterus. Hormones are used to stimulate the ovaries into producing eggs. In ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome the ovaries become swollen and painful. It is a complication of ovarian stimulation considered serious.

Follitropin alfa (Gonal-F) is a type of hormone therapy often used to stimulate the ovaries during IVF. Follitropin delta has been more recently developed. An algorithm allows to individualize the dose of follitropin delta for each patient. More studies are needed to directly compare the benefits of individualized follitropin delta relative to conventional therapy.

1,329 women aged 18 to 40 years undergoing their first IVF were studied. Women were randomly assigned to treatment groups. 665 women received individualized dosing of follitropin delta. 661 women received conventional dosing of follitropin alfa.

A total of 1,122 women underwent transfer of the fertilized egg to the uterus. 95.9% of the individualized follitropin delta group had a single fertilized egg transfer. This was 95.7% for the conventional follitropin alfa group. 43.3% of women receiving follitropin delta achieved the target of 8 to 14 eggs retrieved. This was 38.4% for women receiving follitropin alfa.

The rate of implantation was 35.2% in the individualized follitropin delta group and 35.8% in the conventional follitropin alfa group. The pregnancy rate was 30.7% in the follitropin delta group and 31.6% in the conventional follitropin alfa group. There was no significant difference in the number of live births between women receiving follitropin delta (29.8%) and women receiving follitropin alfa (30.7%).

2.3% of women receiving follitropin delta required measures to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation. This was significantly lower compared to women receiving follitropin alfa (4.5%). The rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was similar between  women receiving follitropin delta (2.6%) and those receiving follitropin alfa (3.0%).

The authors concluded that individualized dosing for ovarian stimulation is as efficient and safer than conventional ovarian stimulation.

Talk to your doctor about individualized ovarian stimulation methods.