Outcome from consecutive in-vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection attempts in the final group treated with urinary gonadotrophins and the first group treated with recombinant follicle stimulating hormone

In the absence of specific dose equivalency data, the aim of this study was to compare the clinical results during the cross-over from menopausal urinary products (human menopausal gonadotrophin; HMG) to recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) follitrophin beta (FSHr) in order to determine whether the manufacturer's recommendation for equivalence of ampoule to ampoule (50 IU FSHr:75 IU HMG) would prove clinically correct. A total of 353 consecutive in-vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment cycles was studied between 1st September 1996 and mid-February 1997. This included cycles in the last 191 women receiving HMG and the first 162 taking FSHr. All were down-regulated using a gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist long protocol method from day 1 of the cycle. Greater efficacy was seen in the HMG group in terms of days of stimulation required, need to increase dosage, cycle discontinuation, number of follicles punctured, the numbers of oocytes retrieved and their quality. The hormonal response to stimulation assessed by oestradiol concentrations on days 5, 8 and day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) was significantly lower in the FSHr group. The ratio of oestradiol per follicle and per oocyte was significantly lower in the FSHr group. There was a highly significant increase in cost with FSHr therapy. Clinical pregnancy rates were 14% per cycle with FSHr and 20% per cycle with HMG.