Selection of ovarian stimulation protocol is related to IVF treatment outcome in women 35 years of age and older.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess if the woman's age influenced IVF treatment outcome when a long GnRHa-hMG or a CC-hMG ovarian stimulation protocol was used. Two hundred women were included in the study, 100 women under the age of 35 and 100 women 35 years of age and older (mean 31.8 years and 36.7 years respectively). In the younger group as well as in the older group 50 women were stimulated according to a GnRHa-hMG protocol and 50 women received a CC-hMG regimen.

RESULTS

Significant differences between stimulation protocols were found in the older group for the mean numbers of oocytes recovered (4.7 vs 3.0), preembryos obtained (3.2 vs 2.0) and replaced (2.3 vs 1.7), as well as pregnancy (30% vs 10%) and delivery (24% vs 4%) rates per replacement.

CONCLUSION

It is concluded that women over 35 years of age seem to have a more favorable outcome of IVF treatment when using a long GnRHa-hMG protocol compared with CC-hMG, while this difference was not as obvious and lacking statistical significance under the age of 35.