Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2002 Dec;45(12):2273-2279.

Recombinant Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone (rFSH) versus Highly Purified Urinary FSH (uFSH): Oocyte and Embryo Quality

• Hur K
• Cheon KW
• Byun HK
• Yang KM
• Kim JY
• Song IO
• Yoo KJ
• Kang IS
• Koong MK

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To estimate the efficacy of recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) versus highly purified urinary human FSH (uFSH) in women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) for in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
METHODS
From 1 January 2001 to 31 August 2001, A total of 254 cycles from 241 patients who attended infertility clinic at Samsung cheil hospital was enrolled in this study. With pituitary down regulation using GnRH agonist by short protocol, rFSH (Puregon(R), Organon, Netherlands) was administered in 131 cycles and uFSH (Metrodin-HP(R), Serono, Switzerland) was administered in 123 cycles. We analyzed ovarian response, pregnancy rate, live birth rate, oocyte quality and embryo quality.
RESULTS
The clinical characteristics of two groups were not different. Total FSH dosages (1322.3+/-526.2 IU versus 2124.4+/-881.9 IU, p<0.001) and dosages per retrieved oocyte (90.6+/-36.0 IU versus 138.0+/-57.2 IU, p<0.001) were significantly lower in rFSH group than uFSH group. Clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate of two groups were not significantly different. The rate of good quality oocyte (Grade I and II) from retrieved oocytes was higher in rFSH group (68.2% versus 64.8%, p=0.024), but after preincubating oocytes for 4 to 6 hours and removing cumulus cells in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles, nuclear maturity of oocytes were not significantly different. The quality of transferred embryos were not significantly different too.
CONCLUSION
rFSH offered more effective ovarian response in COH and better quality of retrieved oocytes, compared with uFSH.

Keyword

Recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH); highly purified urinary human FSH (uFSH); controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH); oocyte quality; embryo quality

MeSH Terms

Cumulus Cells
Down-Regulation
Embryo Transfer
Embryonic Structures*
Female
Fertilization in Vitro
Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human*
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Humans*
Infertility
Live Birth
Oocytes*
Pregnancy Rate
Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
Urofollitropin
Follicle Stimulating Hormone, Human
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Urofollitropin