Gonadotropin dose is negatively correlated with live birth rate: analysis of more than 650,000 assisted reproductive technology cycles

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the correlation between total gonadotropin dose and live birth rate.

Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Not applicable.

Patient(s): A total of 658,519 fresh autologous cycles of in vitro fertilization (IVF) reported to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology from 2004 to 2012.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Logistic regression models were fitted to live birth rates with the use of categorized values for total FSH dose and number of oocytes retrieved as the primary predictor variables. To reduce the effect of the most significant confounders that may lead physicians to prescribe higher doses of FSH, additional analyses were performed limited to good-prognosis patients (<35 years of age, body mass index <30 kg/m(2), and no diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve, endometriosis, or ovulatory disorder) and including duration of gonadotropin treatment.

Result(s): Live birth rate significantly decreased with increasing FSH dose, regardless of the number of oocytes retrieved. The statistically significant decrease in live birth rate with increasing FSH dose remained in patients with good prognosis, and regardless of female age, except for women aged ≥ 35 years with 1-5 oocytes retrieved.

Conclusion(s): This analysis suggests that physicians may wish to avoid prescribing a high dose of FSH. However, the results of this study do not justify the use of minimal-stimulation or natural-cycle IVF.

Keywords: In vitro fertilization; gonadotropin dose; live birth rate.