Objective: To compare the pregnancy outcome in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles, using human derived follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or recombinant FSH for ovarian stimulation protocols.
Design: Prospective, multi-centre, randomized controlled trial.
Patients: 115 infertile patients undergoing a first attempt of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer were included in the study. The inclusion criteria were: female age < 37 years and use of GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) for pituitary downregulation.
Interventions: Long Protocol-controlled ovarian stimulation with human derived FSH or recombinant FSH for IVF-ET.
Main outcome measures: Primary endpoints were implantation rate, clinical pregnancy rate and spontaneous abortion rate. Secondary end-points were total units of FSH injected, days of stimulation, peak estradiol levels at point of hCG administration, mean number of oocytes at pick-up, fertilization rate and cleavage rate.
Results: No statistically significantly differences in pregnancy outcomes were found in the patients receiving hFSH in comparison to patients receiving rFSH.
Conclusions: This study did not demonstrate a difference between the use of h-FSH vs r-FSH for ovarian stimulation in terms of pregnancy outcome, in good prognosis patients undergoing their first IVF-ET procedure.