Comparing the results of human chorionic gonadotropin and dual triggering protocols in consecutive IVF cycles of women with poor ovarian response: A retrospective case-control study.

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Bolus administration of GnRH analogs mimics physiological ovulation and adding GnRH-a to hCG (“dual triggering”) to induce final oocyte maturation stimulates the luteinizing hormone surge which improves IVF outcomes by decreasing immature oocyte rates. Effects of dual triggering on oocytes have been investigated in previous studies. However, retrieved oocytes in consecutive hCG and dual triggering cycles of poor responder(POR) patients has not been studied yet. In this study, we aimed to examine the retrieved/mature oocyte counts after administering hCG and dual triggering to POR patients in their consecutive IVF cycles. Method A total of 54 patients with two consecutive cycles within two years were included into this single-centered, retrospective cohort study that was conducted at Yeditepe University Hospitals, Istanbul, Turkey, between 2014 and 2021. All patients were diagnosed with POR according to the Bologna Criteria (2011). Dual vs hCG triggering protocols were compared using Wilcoxon test in terms of oocyte count and maturation. Results Although a statistically significant difference was observed between the ages of patients in their consecutive IVF cycles, it did not have a clinical significance (38.80±3.72 vs 38.17±3.75, p<0.001). Anti mullerian hormone levels and body mass indexes, basal follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol levels were similar between two cycles (p>0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in terms of total and mature oocytes between two protocols. Conclusion The results demonstrated that the choice of triggering method, whether hCG or dual triggering, did not significantly influence neither the retrieved oocyte count nor maturation in POR patients.