View clinical trials related to Infertility, Female.
Filter by:The effect of use of the microflare down regulation protocol on the outcome of the IVF/ICSI cycles in poor responders
Synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) has been available for more than a decade for specific indication in children and adults. Past Randomized Control Trials (RCT)s of HGH (under off-label use) for improving ovarian function have shown that a combination of traditional gonadotropin ovulation induction protocols, with addition of HGH is effective in increasing pregnancy rates, but not increasing egg production after IVF in women with documented diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). The investigators hypothesize that by initiating HGH at least 6 weeks prior to IVF start, the investigators will be able to increase production of oocytes and further improve pregnancy chances. This hypothesis is based on prior observations of effects of growth hormone on small antral follicles and the fact that prior studies utilized HGH principally only during ovulation induction itself. The investigators plan to recruit 30 women (15 in each group) to an open label randomized controlled trial of HGH for augmentation of ovarian response among women with documented DOR and poor prior response to ovulation induction. Eligible participants will be women < 45 years with documented history of prior retrieval of 2 or fewer oocytes while on maximal ovulation induction despite prior supplementation with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Women will be treated with 1.9 mg (5.7 units) of HGH per day, beginning about 6 weeks before start of their treatment cycle. Cost of treatment with HGH will be a cost to the participating patient. HGH will cost the patient approximately $800 per week of treatment. Patients who are randomized to the non-HGH treated group, and do not conceive, will in the following cycle be offered HGH supplementation outside of this clinical trial. This subsequent cycle will not be part of the study dataset and patients will also be responsible for the cost of HGH. Even with only 7 patients in each group, this trial will have a 99% power (error 0.05%) to detect a mean increase to 4 oocytes in the treated group. The investigators plan to recruit 15 patients in each group to allow for possible dropouts.
The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of Homoeopathic treatment in female infertility.
IN UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY IN WOMEN ,OVARY RESERVE IS BORDERLINE IF ASSESSED USING HIGH-SENSITIVE TESTS.
The main objective of this study is to compare the data of Hystérosalpingo-MRI with intra cavitary injection of diluted gadolinium salts with the classic hysterography, which allows to realize at once with no irradiating examination, a complete assessment of the female infertility.
There is a lack of clarity regarding the justification to instruct the couple to shift from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI). In this study, we aim at evaluating the efficacy of IMSI in couples with previous implantation failure with ICSI.
Despite the progression in assisted reproductive technology (ART), poor ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation remains a challenge for clinicians and a source of distress for patients. Multiple strategies have been tried to overcome these obstacles. The increase of the gonadotropin administration have been associated with a very low pregnancy rate. The introduction of GnRH agonist protocol, which takes advantage of the initial rise in endogenous gonadotropins that follows the agonist administration in the early follicular phase and subsequently prevents a premature LH surge, with fewer cycle cancellations, have improved cycle parameters and increased pregnancy rate. Recently, GnRH antagonists were introduced in ART treatment. They are effective in preventing a premature LH surge and allow for a more natural recruitment of follicles in the follicular phase in a non suppressed ovary. However, the randomized studies comparing the efficacy of these two regimens reported conflicting and nonsignificant results. Moreover, more recently adjuvant therapies for COH such as growth hormone therapy or pyridostigmine, oral L-arginine, and transdermal testosterone failed to improve IVF outcomes. Recently, the new treatment option with corifollitropin alfa, able to keep the circulating FSH level above the threshold necessary to support multi-follicular growth for an entire week, in a GnRH antagonist protocol seems to have a potential beneficial effect in poor responders. The aim of this study is to compare long-acting FSH/GnRH antagonist with daily FSH/GnRH antagonist with short GnRH agonist protocol on IVF outcome in poor responder patients .
The ideal stimulation protocol for ovarian stimulation is under constant debate, as we gain more pharmacological control over the patient hormonal milieu. Specifically, the debate focuses around the ideal LH levels. The concept of an "LH window" was suggested. The need for a threshold level of LH is clearly demonstrated in hypogonado-tropic hypogonadism patients, but also in cycling patients receiving high doses of GnRH antagonist. The Ganirelix dose finding study demonstrated very low implantation rates in the high dose groups (1 mg, 2 mg). The stimulation dynamics in these patients were remarkable for very low E2 and LH levels on the day of hCG. In fact, a functional state of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is achieved, explaining the poor clinical results (1.5% implantation rate under 2 mg Ganirelix). The same protocol was repeated with added Luveris resulting in excellent pregnancy rates. The recommended daily dose of GnRH antagonist is 0.25 mg which on the average provides a protection from premature LH surge, with moderate suppression of LH. Therefore, most patients do not need supplemented LH after the antagonist is initiated. However, there is a subgroup of patients who hyper-respond to the antagonist (in 0.25 mg dose) with a sharp decrease in LH. This explains contradictory findings in the available studies. The basic assumption in the background of this proposal is that there is a wide range of pituitary responses to GnRH antagonist. Obeying a bell-shape curve, most women have an average response, however, some hypo-respond might ovulate prematurely, and others hyper-respond. In the latter cases, pituitary response will behave as if exposed to a higher dose. How to identify an exposure to a presumed higher dose? Below is a figure from the original paper. A close look indicates that the immediate response to all Ganirelix doses are similar in terms of LH drop, however, the big difference lies in the pituitary recovery 24 hours post Ganirelix dose. While small doses allow for a quick recovery to almost pre-treatment LH levels, high doses result in incomplete recovery. Hence, it is reasonable to speculate that the high response to 0.25 mg dose will lead to slow or incomplete recovery of LH levels 24 hours post the initial dose. It is estimated that about 15% of patients are antagonist hyper-responders. Efforts to individualize patient protocol must target this group as candidates for supplemented LH. This estimate is similar to study findings: Huirne et al Human Reproduction 2005, 20: 359.
Overweight/obesity is associated with sub-fertility. The investigators will assess if regular exercise training prior to assisted fertilization will improve pregnancy rate in overweight/obese women referred to assisted fertilization. It is expected that training will be successful in increasing pregnancy rate
The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of DHEA supplement on ovarian reserve markers, ovarian response to gonadotrophins and cycle outcomes in patients with normal and poor ovarian reserve. Study Hypotheses: 1. DHEA supplementation would improve markers of ovarian reserve and ovarian response to low dose FSH stimulation in both normal and poor responders 2. DHEA supplementation would improve IVF cycle outcomes