Small increases in circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations shortly before human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are associated with reduced in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancy rate

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Abstract
The effects of slight elevations in serum LH just before hCG administration on IVF cycle outcome were studied in 219 women undergoing retrieval. One hundred seven patients were stimulated using human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), and 112 received clomiphene citrate and hMG. Serum LH, estradiol (E2), and progesterone concentrations were measured before and during controlled ovarian stimulation. Retrospectively the women were subdivided into three groups based on serum LH before hCG: Group I, <50% LH rise from baseline (BL) value (mean of day 2 and day 7); Group II, LH rise ≥50% but <2×BL; and, Group III, LH rise ≥2×BL. The fertilization and cleavage rates were similar in all groups. However, a ≥50% rise in serum LH before hCG was associated with a significantly reduced IVF pregnancy rate.