Source:European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology | Summary:Despite its occasional use as an adjunct in IVF, human growth hormone appears of little benefit to women having difficulty conceiving. Indeed, in an Australian/New Zealand collaborative placebo-controlled randomised trial, live birth rates were no better in poor-responding patients (under the age of 41) given growth hormone as a supplement than in those given placebo.
"Most studies on the subject, said investigator Professor Robert Norman from the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide, and FertilitySA, Australia, "do not address the most important clinical outcome our patients require, that of delivering a live healthy infant," although some studies -- many of them small -- do reflect a trend towards improved clinical pregnancy outcome.
A recent Cochrane review found that, while human growth hormone did not improve results in routine IVF, there is "some evidence of increased pregnancy and birth rates in women who are considered 'poor responders' to IVF."(1) The end point of this study in Helsinki is indeed live birth rate, and, despite the suggestions of the smaller studies, there was still no strong evidence found for a growth hormone advantage.
The study, to achieve sufficient statistical power for a strong conclusion, required an enrolment of 390 women recruited from fertility centres in Australia and New Zealand, but after four years only 136 had been recruited -- partly because many prospective recruits had bought growth hormone outside the trial. Those who were recruited all met predefined criteria for poor response -- a previous IVF cycle with no more than five eggs collected after maximum stimulation -- and each had ovarian stimulation with same previous drug dose..."
Learn more:
No comments:
Post a Comment