In the ‘Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics’ a new study by the GeneraLife team shows that the molecule used to induce final oocyte maturation (i.e., the trigger) after ovarian stimulation and before an IVF treatment, does not affect oocyte competence (fertilization, blastulation and euploidy): it is therefore possible to personalize this step for each patient, in order to minimize the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation, without any negative effect on oocyte quality.
“Personalizing a treatment – explains Alberto Vaiarelli, author of the paper, gynecologist and medical-scientific coordinator of the GeneraLife center in Rome – today means also being able to choose the trigger. In this retrospective study based on over 2000 couples, we have, in fact, compared patients who used urinary hCG with patients who instead used the GnRH agonist. Until recently, the use of the latter was indicated only in presence of a high risk for ovarian hyperstimulation. The paper highlights how the application of this strategy can also be extended to a wider population. The expected result is an increase in the safety and flexibility of stimulation protocols even in patients with a poor or non-optimal ovarian response.
This strategy leaves room for the possible use of the DuoStim protocol, i.e. restart immediately with a second ovarian stimulation in the same ovarian cycle, if necessary, with the aim of maximizing the number of oocytes retrieved in the shortest possible time. Our study shows that personalizing this phase of the treatment does not affect oocyte competence’.
