A randomized comparative study of highly purified follicle stimulating hormone and human menopausal gonadotrophin for ovarian hyperstimulation in an oocyte donation programme

A randomized comparative study of highly purified human follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH-HP), administered s.c., and human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG), administered i.m., was carried out in 41 volunteer oocyte donors. The response to ovarian hyperstimulation was similar in both groups. One cycle in both groups was cancelled. The number of oocytes recovered was 16.0 +/- 7.9 (mean +/- SD) following stimulation with 32.8 +/- 10.3 ampoules of FSH-HP (n = 19) over 12.3 +/- 1.7 days. Following stimulation with 29.8 +/- 10.6 ampoules of HMG over 11.5 +/- 1.6 days, the number of oocytes collected was 18.4 +/- 12.7 (n = 20). The oocyte recipients were allocated 9.2 +/- 3.6 oocytes in the FSH-HP group (n = 33) and 9.6 +/- 4.6 oocytes in the HMG group (n = 37). The fertilization rate (2PN/cell) was significantly higher in the HMG group (48%, 170/355) than in the FSH-HP group (36%, 109/304) (P < 0.01). The number of embryos transferred per recipient was 2.0 +/- 0.4 in the FSH-HP and 2.0 +/- 0.3 in the HMG group. The pregnancy rate per embryo transfer was 25% in the FSH-HP (5/20) and 26% (8/31) in the HMG group. Fertile donors with body mass index > or = 25 made up a poor responder group to s.c. FSH-HP, possibly indicating reduced absorption of the drug.