Retrospective analysis of subcutaneous administration of urinary gonadotrophins inin vitrofertilisation

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Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy and acceptability of subcutaneous self-injection of urinary gonadotrophins in controlled ovarian hyper-stimulation followed by in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Data on 524 patients, treated during 1276 IVF cycles following either a short or middle-long stimulation protocol using the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist leuprolide, human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) subcutaneously, were retrospectively analysed. The 1276 simulation cycles resulted in 1252 ovum-pick-ups, 1015 embryo transfers, and 228 clinical pregnancies, leading to a clinical pregnancy rate/ovum pick-up of 18·2 per cent. Only five patients (< 1 per cent) complained of transient skin reactions at the injection site. It was concluded that the clinical efficacy of subcutaneous administration of hMG and hCG is high, and the reported incidence of side effects is low. The procedure is well-tolerated, is easy to perform both at home and in the clinic and makes the patient more independent from (para-)medical support.