Comparison of ovarian response to follitropin delta in Japanese and White IVF/ICSI patients.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Is ovarian response associated with individualized follitropin delta dosing regimen comparable across different ethnic populations? DESIGN: Post-hoc analysis of ovarian response in 800 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) patients (170 Japanese women and 630 White women) undergoing stimulation with individualized follitropin delta dosing based on serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentration and body weight in two randomized controlled trials conducted in Japan (NCT03228680) and in Europe, North America and South America (NCT01956110). RESULTS: On average, Japanese women weighed 10 kg less, which affected the total follitropin delta dose, compared with White women (83.5 ± 28.9 versus 90.2 ± 25.2 µg). At the end of stimulation, serum FSH concentrations were not significantly different between Japanese and White women (median 14.3 versus 14.0 IU/l), whereas serum oestradiol concentrations were significantly higher in Japanese women (median 6517 versus 5298 pmol/l, P < 0.0001). Japanese and White women had a similar number of oocytes retrieved with no significant differences among all women who started stimulation (9.3 ± 5.4 versus 9.5 ± 5.7), potential low responders (7.2 ± 3.7 versus 7.6 ± 4.6) or potential high responders (10.8 ± 5.9 versus 11.0 ± 6.0). At each level of ovarian response, serum oestradiol concentrations were significantly higher in Japanese women (P = 0.024). The incidence of early ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was significantly higher in Japanese women compared with White women; overall (10.0% versus 2.2%, P = 0.0124) and at similar serum oestradiol concentrations (P = 0.0137). CONCLUSIONS: The individualized follitropin delta dosing provides similar serum FSH concentrations and similar oocyte yield in Japanese and White IVF/ICSI patients, but the oestradiol response is higher in Japanese women.

Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in fresh and frozen cycles using blastocysts derived from ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta.

PURPOSE: To describe the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes using fresh and vitrified/warmed blastocysts obtained from ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in controlled trials versus follitropin alfa. METHODS: This investigation evaluated the outcome from 2719 fresh and frozen cycles performed in 1326 IVF/ICSI patients who could start up to three ovarian stimulations in the ESTHER-1 (NCT01956110) and ESTHER-2 (NCT01956123) trials, covering 1012 fresh cycles and 341 frozen cycles with follitropin delta and 1015 fresh cycles and 351 frozen cycles with follitropin alfa. Of the 1326 first cycle patients, 513 continued to cycle 2 and 188 to cycle 3, and 441 patients started frozen cycles after the fresh cycles. Pregnancy follow-up was continued until 4 weeks after birth. RESULTS: The overall cumulative take-home baby rate after up to three stimulation cycles was 60.3% with follitropin delta and 60.7% with follitropin alfa (-0.2% [95% CI: -5.4%; 5.0%]), of which the relative contribution was 72.8% from fresh cycles and 27.2% from frozen cycles in each treatment group. Across the fresh cycles, the ongoing implantation rate was 32.1% for follitropin delta and 32.1% for follitropin alfa, while it was 27.6% and 27.8%, respectively, for the frozen cycles. Major congenital anomalies among the live-born neonates up until 4 weeks were reported at an incidence of 1.6% with follitropin delta and 1.8% with follitropin alfa (-0.2% [95% CI: -1.9%; 1.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: Based on comparative trials, the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes from fresh and frozen cycles provide reassuring data on the efficacy and safety of follitropin delta. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01956110 registered on 8 October 2013; NCT01956123 registered on 8 October 2013.

A randomised controlled trial to clinically validate follitropin delta in its individualised dosing regimen for ovarian stimulation in Asian IVF/ICSI patients.

STUDY QUESTION: Is ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta in its individualised fixed-dose regimen at least as efficacious as follitropin alfa in a conventional dosing regimen in Asian population? SUMMARY ANSWER: Ovarian stimulation with individualised follitropin delta dosing resulted in a non-inferior ongoing pregnancy rate, a significantly higher live birth rate and a significantly lower incidence of early ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and/or preventive interventions compared to conventional follitropin alfa dosing. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Previous randomised controlled trials conducted in Japan as well as in Europe, North- and South America have demonstrated that ovarian stimulation with the individualised follitropin delta dosing regimen based on serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level and body weight modulated the ovarian response and reduced the risk of OHSS without compromising pregnancy and live birth rates. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: Randomised, controlled, multi-centre, assessor-blind trial conducted in 1009 Asian patients from mainland China, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan, undergoing their first IVF/ICSI cycle. Randomisation was stratified by age (<35, 35-37, 38-40 years). The primary endpoint was ongoing pregnancy rate assessed 10-11 weeks after embryo transfer in the fresh cycle (non-inferiority limit -10.0%; analysis adjusted for age stratum). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The follitropin delta treatment consisted of a fixed daily dose individualised according to each patient's initial AMH level and body weight (AMH <15 pmol/l: 12 µg; AMH ≥15 pmol/l: 0.19 to 0.10 µg/kg; min-max 6-12 µg). The follitropin alfa dose was 150 IU/day for the first 5 days with subsequent potential dose adjustments according to individual response. A GnRH antagonist protocol was applied. OHSS was classified based on Golan's system. Women with an ongoing pregnancy were followed until live birth and 4 weeks after. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The number of oocytes retrieved was significantly (P < 0.001) lower with individualised follitropin delta versus conventional follitropin alfa (10.0 ± 6.1 versus 12.4 ± 7.3). Nevertheless, compared to the conventional dosing approach, the individualised follitropin delta dosing regimen resulted in on average 2 more oocytes (9.6 ± 5.3 versus 7.6 ± 3.5) in potential low responders as indicated by AMH <15 pmol/l, and on average 3 fewer oocytes (10.1 ± 6.3 versus 13.8 ± 7.5) in potential high responders as indicated by AMH ≥15 pmol/l. Among women with AMH ≥15 pmol/l, excessive response occurred less frequently with individualised follitropin delta than with follitropin alfa (≥15 oocytes: 20.2% versus 39.1%; ≥20 oocytes: 6.7% versus 18.5%; both P < 0.001). The incidence of early OHSS and/or preventive interventions for early OHSS was significantly (P = 0.004) reduced from 9.6% with follitropin alfa to 5.0% with individualised follitropin delta. The total gonadotropin use was significantly (P < 0.001) reduced from an average of 109.9 ± 32.9 µg (1498 ± 448 IU) follitropin alfa to 77.5 ± 24.4 µg follitropin delta. Non-inferiority of follitropin delta in its individualised dosing regimen to conventional follitropin alfa was established with respect to the primary endpoint of ongoing pregnancy rate which was 31.3% with follitropin delta compared to 25.7% with follitropin alfa (estimated mean difference 5.4% [95% CI: -0.2%; 11.0%]). The live birth rate was significantly higher at 31.3% with individualised follitropin delta compared to 24.7% with follitropin alfa (estimated mean difference 6.4% [95% CI: 0.9%; 11.9%]; P = 0.023). The live birth rate for each stratum were as follows for follitropin delta and follitropin alfa, respectively; <35 years: 31.0% versus 25.0%, 35-37 years: 35.3% versus 26.7%, 38-40 years: 20.0% versus 14.3%. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The trial only covered the clinical outcome of one treatment cycle with fresh cleavage-stage embryo transfers. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The present trial shows that in addition to reducing the early OHSS risk, follitropin delta in its individualised fixed-dose regimen has the potential to improve the success rate in fresh cycles across all ages and with a lower gonadotropin consumption compared to conventional follitropin alfa dosing. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was funded by Ferring Pharmaceuticals. J.Q., Y.Z., X.L., T.H., H.-Y.H. and S.-H.K. have received institutional (not personal) clinical trial fees from Ferring Pharmaceuticals. M.G., B.M. and J.-C.A. are employees of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. J.-C.A. has pending and issued patent applications in the WO 2013/020996 and WO 2019/043143 patent families that comprise allowed and granted patent rights related to follitropin delta. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03296527 (clinicaltrials.gov). TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE: 28 September 2017. DATE OF FIRST PATIENT'S ENROLMENT: 1 December 2017.

Individualized follitropin delta dosing reduces OHSS risk in Japanese IVF/ICSI patients: a randomized controlled trial.

RESEARCH QUESTION: This study aimed to establish the efficacy and safety of ovarian stimulation with a follitropin delta individualized fixed-dose regimen based on serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration and body weight versus conventional follitropin beta dosing in Japanese women. DESIGN: This randomized, controlled, assessor-blind, multicentre, non-inferiority trial was conducted in 347 Japanese IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients. They were randomized to individualized follitropin delta (AMH <15 pmol/l: 12 µg/day; AMH ≥15 pmol/l: 0.10-0.19 µg/kg/day; minimum 6 µg/day; maximum 12 µg/day) or conventional follitropin beta (150 IU/day for the first 5 days, with potential subsequent dose adjustments). The primary end-point was the number of oocytes retrieved with a pre-specified non-inferiority margin (-3.0 oocytes). RESULTS: The primary trial objective was met, as non-inferiority was established for number of oocytes retrieved for individualized follitropin delta dosing compared with conventional follitropin beta dosing (9.3 versus 10.5; lower boundary of 95% confidence interval -2.3). The occurrence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was reduced to approximately half with individualized compared with conventional dosing, with an incidence of 11.2% versus 19.8% (P = 0.021) for OHSS of any grade and 7.1% versus 14.1% (P = 0.027) for moderate/severe OHSS. The live birth rate per started cycle was 23.5% for individualized dosing and 18.6% for conventional dosing. CONCLUSIONS: Dosing with individualized follitropin delta in Japanese women is non-inferior to conventional dosing with follitropin beta for number of oocytes retrieved. The individualized approach shows a favourable benefit-risk profile, providing a statistically significant and clinically relevant reduction in the incidence of OHSS, without compromising live birth rates.

Use of dopamine agonists to target angiogenesis in women with endometriosis.

Endometriosis requires medical management during a woman's reproductive years. Most treatments aim to create a hypoestrogenic milieu, but for patients wishing to conceive, drugs that allow normal ovarian function are needed. Targeting angiogenesis, a hallmark of the disease, using dopamine agonists (DAs) is a promising strategy for endometriosis treatment. Herein, we review experimental and clinical data that investigate this concept. In experimental models of endometriosis, DAs (bromocriptine, cabergoline, quinagolide) downregulate proangiogenic and upregulate antiangiogenic pathways in inflammatory, endothelial and endometrial cells, blocking cellular proliferation and reducing lesion size. Impaired secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inactivation of its receptor type-2 are key events. VEGF inhibition also reduces nerve fiber density in lesions. In humans, quinagolide shows similar effects on lesions, and DAs reduce pain and endometrioma size. Moreover, a 20-fold downregulation of Serpin-1, the gene that encodes for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), has been observed after DAs treatment. Pentoxifylline, a PAI-1, increases pregnancy rates in women with endometriosis. Thus, the data support the use of DAs in the medical management of endometriosis to reduce lesion size and pain while maintaining ovulation. A combined approach of DAs and pentoxifylline is perhaps a smart way of targeting the disease from a completely different angle than current medical treatments.

Randomized, assessor-blind, antimüllerian hormone-stratified, dose-response trial in Japanese in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation with follitropin delta.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the relationship between follitropin delta doses (recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone produced from the human cell line PER.C6) and ovarian response in Japanese women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment and to evaluate the influence of initial antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blind, AMH-stratified (low 5.0-14.9 pmol/L; high 15.0-44.9 pmol/L) dose-response trial. SETTING: Reproductive medicine clinics. PATIENT(S): A total of 158 Japanese women (20-39 years of age). INTERVENTION(S): Controlled ovarian stimulation with 6, 9, or 12 µg/d of follitropin delta or 150 IU/d follitropin beta as a reference arm in a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of oocytes retrieved. RESULT(S): Among all women who started stimulation, the mean number (± standard deviation) of oocytes retrieved in the 6 µg/d, 9 µg/d, and 12 µg/d follitropin delta groups was 7.0 ± 4.1, 9.1 ± 5.6, and 11.6 ± 5.6, respectively, and a significant dose-relation was established, which also remained significant within each AMH strata. Significant dose-responses also were observed for serum estradiol, inhibin A, and progesterone at end-of-stimulation with follitropin delta. The vital pregnancy rate per started cycle with follitropin delta was 19% for 6 µg/d, 20% for 9 µg/d, and 25% for 12 µg/d. The rate of early moderate/severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome with follitropin delta was 8% for 6 µg/d, 8% for 9 µg/d, and 13% for 12 µg/d, with 82% of the cases in the high AMH stratum. CONCLUSION(S): This trial establishes the dose-response relationship between follitropin delta and ovarian response in Japanese women. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02309671.

Establishing the follitropin delta dose that provides a comparable ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa.

RESEARCH QUESTION: The objective of this investigation was to determine the daily follitropin delta dose (µg) providing a similar ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa. DESIGN: The study was a post-hoc analysis of ovarian response in 1591 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) patients undergoing ovarian stimulation in a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol in two recent randomized, assessor-blind, controlled trials in the development programme for follitropin delta: a phase II dose-response trial with a reference arm of a fixed daily dose of 150 IU follitropin alfa throughout stimulation, and a phase III efficacy trial with a comparator arm of 150 IU/day follitropin alfa as a starting dose. RESULTS: Daily follitropin delta doses of 10.0 µg (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9-12.8) and 10.3 µg (95% CI 9.7-10.8) yielded the same number of oocytes as 150 IU/day follitropin alfa for all patients participating in the phase II and III trials, respectively. When analysing patients with either normal or high ovarian reserve (based on serum anti-Mullerian hormone ≥15 pmol/l) and no dose changes, the same number of oocytes was obtained with 150 IU/day follitropin alfa and daily doses of follitropin delta of 9.7 µg (95% CI 7.5-12.4) and 9.3 µg (95% CI 8.6-10.1) in the two trials. Daily follitropin delta doses in the range 9.5-10.4 µg were consistently estimated to correspond to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa for serum oestradiol concentration and number of follicles ≥12 mm at the end of stimulation across analysis populations in the phase III trial. CONCLUSIONS: A daily follitropin delta dose of 10 µg provides a similar ovarian response to 150 IU/day follitropin alfa in IVF/ICSI patients.

Sperm DNA Methylation Epimutation Biomarkers for Male Infertility and FSH Therapeutic Responsiveness.

Male factor infertility is increasing and recognized as playing a key role in reproductive health and disease. The current primary diagnostic approach is to assess sperm quality associated with reduced sperm number and motility, which has been historically of limited success in separating fertile from infertile males. The current study was designed to develop a molecular analysis to identify male idiopathic infertility using genome wide alterations in sperm DNA methylation. A signature of differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) was identified to be associated with male idiopathic infertility patients. A promising therapeutic treatment of male infertility is the use of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) analogs which improved sperm numbers and motility in a sub-population of infertility patients. The current study also identified genome-wide DMRs that were associated with the patients that were responsive to FSH therapy versus those that were non-responsive. This novel use of epigenetic biomarkers to identify responsive versus non-responsive patient populations is anticipated to dramatically improve clinical trials and facilitate therapeutic treatment of male infertility patients. The use of epigenetic biomarkers for disease and therapeutic responsiveness is anticipated to be applicable for other medical conditions.

Individualization of the starting dose of follitropin delta reduces the overall OHSS risk and/or the need for additional preventive interventions: cumulative data over three stimulation cycles.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Is individualization of dosing with follitropin delta in sequential ovarian stimulation cycles an effective preventive strategy for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome risk? If so, for which patients does an individualized strategy provide the greatest OHSS risk reduction and/or the need for additional preventive interventions? DESIGN: A secondary analysis of three ovarian stimulation cycles in IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients included in one randomized, assessor-blinded trial comparing two recombinant FSH preparations (ESTHER-1, NCT01956110), and a second trial in women undergoing up to two additional cycles (ESTHER-2, NCT01956123). Of 1326 women (aged 18-40 years) randomized and treated with follitropin delta or alfa in cycle 1, 513 continued to cycle 2 and 188 to cycle 3. Follitropin delta and alfa doses were maintained/adjusted according to ovarian response in the previous cycle. RESULTS: Individualized dosing with follitropin delta significantly reduced moderate/severe OHSS and/or preventive interventions (P=0.018) versus conventional dosing with follitropin alfa in patients undergoing up to three ovarian stimulation cycles. The greatest benefit was observed in patients in the highest anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) quartile (P=0.012). On evaluating separately, individualized dosing with follitropin delta significantly lowered the incidences of moderate/severe OHSS (P=0.036) and preventive interventions (P=0.044) versus follitropin alfa. CONCLUSION: An individualized follitropin delta dosing regimen decreased the risk of moderate/severe OHSS as well as the incidence of preventive interventions versus a conventional follitropin alfa regimen. An analysis per AMH quartile indicated that these statistically significant differences are driven mainly by patients with the highest pretreatment AMH levels.

Follitropin delta in repeated ovarian stimulation for IVF: a controlled, assessor-blind Phase 3 safety trial.

RESEARCH QUESTION: To evaluate the immunogenicity of follitropin delta in repeated ovarian stimulation. DESIGN: Controlled, assessor-blind trial in IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients undergoing repeated cycles of ovarian stimulation (cycles 2 and 3), following initial stimulation with follitropin delta or follitropin alfa (cycle 1) in a preceding randomized trial. In cycles 2 and 3, 513 and 188 women, respectively, were treated as randomized in cycle 1, with dosing based on ovarian response in the previous cycle. RESULTS: The incidence of treatment-induced anti-FSH antibodies with follitropin delta was 0.8% and 1.1% in cycles 2 and 3, respectively, which was similar to the incidence in cycle 1 (1.1%). No antibodies were of neutralizing capacity. Women with pre-existing anti-FSH antibodies were safely treated with follitropin delta without boosting an immune response. Treatment with follitropin delta and follitropin alfa gave similar outcomes for mean number of oocytes retrieved (9.2 versus 8.6 [cycle 2]; 8.3 versus 8.9 [cycle 3]), ongoing pregnancy (27.8% versus 25.7%; 27.4% versus 28.0%) and live birth rates (27.4% versus 25.3%; 26.3% versus 26.9%). The presence of anti-FSH antibodies did not affect the ovarian response. CONCLUSIONS: The trial demonstrated the low immunogenicity potential of follitropin delta in repeated ovarian stimulation, and confirmed the appropriateness of the follitropin delta dosing regimen in repeated cycles, with documented efficacy and safety.

Luteal phase progesterone and oestradiol after ovarian stimulation: relation to response and prediction of pregnancy.

Research has focused on optimizing luteal phase support and endometrial receptivity in ovarian stimulation cycles. In this study, serial endocrine measurements were taken in 600 patients after a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist stimulation protocol. On the day of blastocyst transfer, serum progesterone and oestradiol were similar irrespective of a subsequent positive or negative pregnancy test (median 99 ng/ml versus 103 ng/ml for progesterone, respectively) or a subsequent live birth or pregnancy loss. Serum progesterone was significantly correlated to each ovarian response parameter (total number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved and oestradiol concentration; r = 0.45, 0.57 and 0.54 respectively, all P < 0.0001). These correlations were consistent irrespective of clinical outcome. On the day of the pregnancy test, these correlations had vanished except in the live birth subgroup showing a weaker correlation (r = 0.22, 0.27 and 0.32 respectively, all P < 0.005). The lowest HCG and progesterone levels associated with live birth were 59.3 IU/l and 12.3 ng/ml, respectively. Fourteen out of 92 patients (15.2%) with pregnancy loss had normal HCG but low progesterone levels (above and below their respective 5th percentile), and miscarried before the end of the 7th week, when the luteal-placental shift occurs.

Individualized versus conventional ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, phase 3 noninferiority trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of follitropin delta, a new human recombinant FSH with individualized dosing based on serum antimüllerian hormone (AMH) and body weight, with conventional follitropin alfa dosing for ovarian stimulation in women undergoing IVF. DESIGN: Randomized, multicenter, assessor-blinded, noninferiority trial (ESTHER-1). SETTING: Reproductive medicine clinics. PATIENT(S): A total of 1,329 women (aged 18-40 years). INTERVENTION(S): Follitropin delta (AMH <15 pmol/L: 12 µg/d; AMH ≥15 pmol/L: 0.10-0.19 µg/kg/d; maximum 12 µg/d), or follitropin alfa (150 IU/d for 5 days, potential subsequent dose adjustments; maximum 450 IU/d). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE(S): Ongoing pregnancy and ongoing implantation rates; noninferiority margins -8.0%. RESULT(S): Ongoing pregnancy (30.7% vs. 31.6%; difference -0.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) -5.9% to 4.1%]), ongoing implantation (35.2% vs. 35.8%; -0.6% [95% CI -6.1% to 4.8%]), and live birth (29.8% vs. 30.7%; -0.9% [95% CI -5.8% to 4.0%]) rates were similar for individualized follitropin delta and conventional follitropin alfa. Individualized follitropin delta resulted in more women with target response (8-14 oocytes) (43.3% vs. 38.4%), fewer poor responses (fewer than four oocytes in patients with AMH <15 pmol/L) (11.8% vs. 17.9%), fewer excessive responses (≥15 or ≥20 oocytes in patients with AMH ≥15 pmol/L) (27.9% vs. 35.1% and 10.1% vs. 15.6%, respectively), and fewer measures taken to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (2.3% vs. 4.5%), despite similar oocyte yield (10.0 ± 5.6 vs. 10.4 ± 6.5) and similar blastocyst numbers (3.3 ± 2.8 vs. 3.5 ± 3.2), and less gonadotropin use (90.0 ± 25.3 vs. 103.7 ± 33.6 µg). CONCLUSION(S): Optimizing ovarian response in IVF by individualized dosing according to pretreatment patient characteristics results in similar efficacy and improved safety compared with conventional ovarian stimulation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01956110.

Follicular and endocrine dose responses according to anti-Müllerian hormone levels in IVF patients treated with a novel human recombinant FSH (FE 999049).

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels and follicular development and endocrine responses induced by increasing doses (5·2-12·1 µg/day) of a novel recombinant human FSH (rhFSH, FE 999049) in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in a GnRH antagonist protocol. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial with stratified randomization according to AMH (lower stratum: 5·0-14·9 pmol/l; higher stratum: 15·0-44·9 pmol/l). PATIENTS: Infertile women of good prognosis (n = 265). MEASUREMENTS: Follicular development and endocrine parameters during controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) with rhFSH. RESULTS: Serum FSH levels increased with increasing rhFSH doses and steady-state levels for each dose were similar in both AMH strata. In the whole study population, significant (P < 0·001) positive dose responses were observed for the number of follicles ≥ 12 mm, and serum levels of oestradiol, inhibin B, inhibin A and progesterone at end of stimulation. In comparison with the higher AMH stratum, patients in the lower AMH stratum had significantly different slopes of the dose-response curves for these hormones, and no clear dose-related increase was observed for the number of follicles in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Dose-response relationships between rhFSH and follicular development and endocrine parameters are significantly different for IVF/ICSI patients with lower and higher serum AMH levels at start of COS.

Comparison of antimüllerian hormone levels and antral follicle count as predictor of ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation in good-prognosis patients at individual fertility clinics in two multicenter trials.

OBJECTIVE: To compare antimüllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC) as predictors of ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation at individual fertility clinics. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of individual study center data in two multicenter trials. Centers that provided >10 patients were included in the analysis. SETTING: A total of 19 (n = 519 patients) and 18 study centers (n = 686 patients) participating in a long GnRH agonist trial (MERIT) and a GnRH antagonist trial (MEGASET), respectively. PATIENT(S): Infertile women of good prognosis. INTERVENTION(S): Long GnRH agonist or GnRH antagonist cycles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Correlation between AMH and AFC, and oocyte yield by each study center for each trial. RESULTS(S): Antimüllerian hormone was more strongly correlated with oocyte yield than AFC: r = 0.56 vs. r = 0.28 in the GnRH agonist cohort, and r = 0.55 vs. r = 0.33 in the GnRH antagonist cohort. The correlation was numerically higher for AMH than for AFC at a significantly higher proportion of study centers: 17 (89%) and 15 (83%) centers in the long GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist trial, respectively. Assessment of the relative capacity of AMH and AFC for predicting oocyte yield demonstrated that AMH dominated the model: AMH, R(2) = 0.29 and 0.23; AFC: R(2) = 0.07 and 0.07; AMH + AFC: R(2) = 0.30 and 0.23 for long GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist trials, respectively. CONCLUSIONS(S): Antimüllerian hormone was a stronger predictor of ovarian response to gonadotropin therapy than AFC at the study center level in both randomized trials utilizing GnRH agonist and GnRH antagonist protocols. Antral follicle count provided no added predictive value beyond AMH.

Ovarian response to recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone: a randomized, antimüllerian hormone-stratified, dose-response trial in women undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dose-response relationship of a novel recombinant human FSH (rhFSH; FE 999049) with respect to ovarian response in patients undergoing IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment; and prospectively study the influence of initial antimüllerian hormone (AMH) concentrations. DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, assessor-blinded, AMH-stratified (low: 5.0-14.9 pmol/L [0.7-<2.1 ng/mL]; high: 15.0-44.9 pmol/L [2.1-6.3 ng/mL]) trial. SETTING: Seven infertility centers in four countries. PATIENT(S): Two hundred sixty-five women aged ≤37 years. INTERVENTION(S): Controlled ovarian stimulation with either 5.2, 6.9, 8.6, 10.3, or 12.1 µg of rhFSH, or 11 µg (150 IU) of follitropin alfa in a GnRH antagonist cycle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of oocytes retrieved. RESULT(S): The number of oocytes retrieved increased in an rhFSH dose-dependent manner, from 5.2 ± 3.3 oocytes with 5.2 µg/d to 12.2 ± 5.9 with 12.1 µg/d. The slopes of the rhFSH dose-response curves differed significantly between the two AMH strata, demonstrating that a 10% increase in dose resulted in 0.5 (95% confidence interval 0.2-0.7) and 1.0 (95% confidence interval 0.7-1.3) more oocytes in the low and high AMH stratum, respectively. Fertilization rate and blastocyst/oocyte ratio decreased significantly with increasing rhFSH doses in both AMH strata. No linear relationship was observed between rhFSH dose and number of blastocysts overall or by AMH strata. Five cases of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome were reported for the three highest rhFSH doses and in the high AMH stratum. CONCLUSION(S): Increasing rhFSH doses results in a linear increase in number of oocytes retrieved in an AMH-dependent manner. The availability of blastocysts is less influenced by the rhFSH dose and AMH level. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT01426386.

The rate of high ovarian response in women identified at risk by a high serum AMH level is influenced by the type of gonadotropin.

The aim was to compare ovarian response and clinical outcome of potential high-responders after stimulation with highly purified menotropin (HP-hMG) or recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) for in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Retrospective analysis was performed on data collected in two randomized controlled trials, one conducted following a long GnRH agonist protocol and the other with an antagonist protocol. Potential high-responders (n = 155 and n = 188 in the agonist and antagonist protocol, respectively) were defined as having an initial anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) value >75th percentile (5.2 ng/ml). In both protocols, HP-hMG stimulation in women in the high AMH category was associated with a significantly lower occurrence of high response (≥15 oocytes retrieved) than rFSH stimulation; 33% versus 51% (p = 0.025) and 31% versus 49% (p = 0.015) in the long agonist and antagonist protocol, respectively. In the potential high-responder women, trends for improved live birth rate were observed with HP-hMG compared with rFSH (long agonist protocol: 33% versus 20%, p = 0.074; antagonist protocol: 34% versus 23%, p = 0.075; overall population: 34% versus 22%, p = 0.012). In conclusion, the type of gonadotropin used for ovarian stimulation influences high-response rates and potentially clinical outcome in women identified as potential high-responders.

Late preterm birth is associated with short-term morbidity but not with adverse neurodevelopmental and physical outcomes at 1 year.

We compared the neonatal and infant outcomes at one year (Bayley mental and psychomotor development index, and physical growth) of babies who were (n = 63) or were not (n = 100) delivered prior to 37 weeks in women admitted in threatened late preterm labor (34-35(+6) weeks) with a cervix ≤15 mm. The women were part of a clinical trial to investigate the tocolytic effect of the oxytocin antagonist barusiban. Babies born late preterm (34-36(+6) weeks) had a significantly increased risk of short-term morbidity (hepatobiliary disorders, respiratory disorders, metabolic disorders, nervous system disorders, infection; p < 0.05 for each) compared with those born at term, but there were no significant differences in the neurodevelopmental and physical outcomes at one year (p > 0.05 for both one-year outcomes).

Association between blastocyst morphology and outcome of single-blastocyst transfer.

The aim of this study was to assess the ability of three individual blastocyst morphology parameters - expansion and hatching (EH) stage, inner cell mass (ICM) grade and trophectoderm grade - to predict outcome of a cycle with single-blastocyst transfer. The study was a secondary analysis of data prospectively collected in a large multicentre trial. A total of 618 intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients undergoing ovarian stimulation in a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist cycle with compulsory single-blastocyst transfer on day 5 were included. In the simple logistic regression analysis, all three blastocyst morphology parameters were statistically significantly (P<0.005 for each) associated with positive human chorionic gonadotrophin, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates and live birth rates, while only the ICM grade was significantly (P=0.033) associated with early pregnancy loss rate. Blastocyst EH stage was the only significant predictor of live birth (P=0.002) in the multiple logistic regression. In conclusion, although all three blastocyst morphology parameters were related to treatment outcome of fresh single-blastocyst cycles, selection of high-quality blastocysts for transfer should consider first the EH stage. Transfer of a blastocyst with ICM grade A may reduce the risk of early pregnancy loss. Choosing the embryo(s) with the best implantation potential is essential for securing each couple the highest chance of achieving pregnancy after assisted reproduction. The selection of embryo(s) for transfer at the blastocyst stage is based on morphology parameters of expansion and hatching stage, inner cell mass grade and trophectoderm grade. The aim of this study was to assess the relative impact of each parameter in predicting the probability of a successful outcome. The study was a secondary analysis of data prospectively collected in a large multicentre trial. A total of 618 patients who underwent single-blastocyst transfer on day 5 were included. Statistical analysis showed that all three blastocyst morphology parameters were significantly associated with positive human chorionic gonadotrophin (ßHCG), clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates and live birth rates. Only the inner cell mass grade was significantly associated with early pregnancy loss between the positive ßHCG test and confirmation of ongoing pregnancy 10-11weeks after transfer. The expansion and hatching stage was the only significant predictor of live birth in the multiple logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, although all three blastocyst morphology parameters were related to treatment outcome of fresh single-blastocyst cycles, selection of high-quality blastocysts for transfer should consider first the expansion and hatching stage. Transfer of a blastocyst with inner cell mass grade A may reduce the risk of early pregnancy loss.