Aim: To assess the efficacy of estrogen rebound (ER) plus flare-up by gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) in poor responders who failed to become pregnant prior to a long protocol treatment. Methods: The patients comprised of thirty-one infertile patients with oocyte retrieval levels of less than five, who had undergone several long protocol treatment cycles. The efficacy of treatment with the ER plus flare-up from GnRH-a was compared with the prior long protocol treatment. The main outcome measures are: confirmation of ER, maximal serum E2 levels prior to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration, follicular development, dose, and duration of gonadotrophins in a clinical setting. Results: The ER was confirmed by estrogen levels; FSH increased with ER plus flare-up from GnRH-a. Although the 31 patients included in the study had undergone frequent prior treatment cycles, including the long protocol, the pregnancy rate per embryo transfer following ER plus flare-up by GnRH-a was 37.5% (nine of 24). The number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved, and the E2 level was higher than those found in prior treatment cycles. Conclusion: Exogenous estrogen administration with PremarinR plus flare-up by GnRH-a may represent an alternative and effective protocol for poor responder patients who had previously undergone several prior long protocol treatments. (Reprod Med Biol 2003; 2: 127-131).
Aim: To assess the efficacy of estrogen rebound (ER) plus flare-up by gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) in poor responders who failed to become pregnant prior to a long protocol treatment. Methods: The patients comprised of thirty-one infertilepatients with oocyte retrieval levels of less than five, who had undergone several long protocol treatment cycles. The efficacy of treatment with the ER plus flare-up from GnRH-a was compared with the prior long protocol treatment. The main outcome measures are: confirmation of ER, maximal serum E2 levels prior to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration, follicular development, dose, and duration of gonadotrophins in a clinical setting. Results: The ER was confirmed by estrogen levels; FSH increased with ER plus flare-up from GnRH-a. Although the 31 patients included in the study had undergone frequent prior treatment cycles, including the long protocol, the pregnancy rate per embryo transfer following ER plus flare-up by GnRH-a was 37.5% (nine of 24). The number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved, and the E2 level was higher than those found in prior treatment cycles. Conclusion: Exogenous estrogen administration with PremarinR plus flare-up by GnRH-a may represent an alternative and effective protocol for poor responder patients who had previously undergone several prior long protocol treatments. (Reprod Med Biol 2003; 2: 127-131).