Comparison of cryopreservation outcome with human pronuclear stage oocytes obtained by the GnRH antagonist, Cetrorelix, and GnRH agonists

• Published in: European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology 2000-11, Vol.93 (1), p.91-95
• Main Authors: Nikolettos, N., Al-Hasani, S., Felberbaum, R., Demirel, L.C., Riethmüller-Winzen, H., Reissmann, T., Schöpper, B., Sturm, R., Diedrich, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion, Spontaneous; Biological and medical sciences; Birth control; Cryopreservation; Embryo Implantation; Embryo Transfer; Female; GnRH agonist; GnRH antagonist; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - administration & dosage; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - agonists; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - analogs & derivatives; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - antagonists & inhibitors; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hormone Antagonists - administration & dosage; Humans; Infertility - therapy; Intracytoplasmic sperm injection; Medical sciences; Menotropins - administration & dosage; One-cell embryos; Oocytes - physiology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Retrospective Studies; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; Sterility. Assisted procreation; Triptorelin Pamoate - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 0301-2115; 1872-7654
• DOI: 10.1016/S0301-2115(99)00294-8

This retrospective study was performed to examine the implantation and pregnancy rates of frozen–thawed pronuclear stage oocytes obtained with the use of a GnRH antagonist, Cetrorelix (Cetrotide ® ASTA-Medica, Frankfurt/M, Germany) used in a multidose protocol with hMG, and to compare these results with those obtained after a conventional long GnRH analogue protocol (Decapeptyl-Depot, Ferring, Kiel, Germany). The study population consisted of 31 infertile couples with frozen–thawed pronuclear stage oocytes after ICSI treatment using the GnRH antagonist Cetrorelix (Cetrorelix ®) and 31 infertile couples with frozen–thawed pronuclear stage oocytes after ICSI treatment using the long GnRH analogue protocol. Patients underwent ICSI after down regulation with a GnRH agonist (Decapeptyl) and stimulation with hMG, or a GnRH antagonist (Cetrorelix) and hMG. The supernumerary pronuclear stage oocytes were cryopreserved and transferred in a later mildly stimulated cycle. The implantation and pregnancy rates for frozen–thawed pronuclear stage oocytes derived from the GnRH antagonist compared with the GnRH agonist were 3.26% versus 3.73% ( P=1.0000) and 8.33% versus 10.25% ( P=1.0000), respectively. To our knowledge we report here the first pregnancies obtained by the transfer of cryopreserved pronuclear stage embryos generated from ICSI using a GnRH antagonist in the collecting cycle. The use of Cetrorelix in a multiple dose protocol in combination with hMG does not demonstrate a negative effect on viability, implantation potential or pregnancy outcome as compared to 2PN conceptuses obtained from a long GnRH agonist-hMG protocol.