Can ovarian double-stimulation in the same menstrual cycle improve IVF outcomes?

JBRA Assist Reprod. 2017 Sep 1;21(3):217-221. doi: 10.5935/1518-0557.20170042.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the double-stimulation protocol efficacy over conventional ovarian stimulation in recovering a more adequate number of oocytes and increase the number of embryos to be transferred or to be genetically analyzed.

Methods: A retrospective and comparative study with 13 patients who underwent unsuccessful in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles with a conventional antagonist ovarian stimulation protocol and repeat the attempt with a double stimulation protocol. The following variables were analyzed: number of oocytes collected, mature oocytes collected, fertilization rate, blastocyst rate, biopsied blastocyst rate and euploidy rate.

Results: The double stimulation protocol had a significant higher number of oocytes collected (p=0.007) and mature oocytes to be injected (p=0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in fertilization (p=0.78) and blastocyst (p=0.59) rates.

Conclusion: Double stimulation favors patients who are at risk of incurring several attempts of IVF to achieve pregnancy.

Keywords: blastocyst; in vitro fertilization; oocytes; ovarian stimulation.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Blastocyst / physiology*
  • Female
  • Fertilization in Vitro / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Menstrual Cycle / psychology*
  • Ovulation Induction / methods*
  • Ovulation Induction / statistics & numerical data*
  • Pregnancy
  • Retrospective Studies