Adjuncts for ovarian stimulation: when do we adopt ••orphan indications•• for approved drugs?

Adjuncts for ovarian stimulation: when do we adopt‘‘orphan indications’’ for approved drugs? David R. Meldrum, R. Jeffrey Chang, M.D.,Dominique de Ziegler, M.D.,William B. Schoolcraft, M.DRichard T. Scott, Jr., and Antonio Pellicer, M.D.
a Reproductive Partners Medical Group, Redondo Beach, California; b Department of Reproductive Endocrinology andInfertility, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California; c Universite Paris Descartes, Service de GynecologieObstetrique II et Medecine de la Reproduction, CHU Cochin Saint Vincent de Paul, Paris, France; d Colorado Center forReproductive Medicine, Englewood, Colorado; e Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, Morristown, New Jersey;and f Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain Several drugs, shown to be safe for other uses, have proven to be highly effective adjuncts for ovarian stimulation.
The authors evaluate these ‘‘orphan’’ indications and make recommendations so that more patients will benefitfrom their use. (Fertil SterilÒ 2009;92:13–8. Ó2009 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.) Key Words: Ovarian stimulation, metformin, dexamethazone, hCG, aspirin, cabergoline, androgens As with orphan drugs that help too few patients to make de- B. Basic scientific studies elucidating a logical mecha- velopment worthwhile without financial incentives from the government, frequently manufacturers do not invest the con- C. Negative trials or meta-analysis indicating that the effect siderable financial resources necessary to establish new indi- may be less than originally indicated, because only very cations for established drugs, particularly when they apply to large trials or collections of studies can establish an accu a small group of patients or when the indications fall outside rate estimate of the treatment effect.
of the usual patient groups to which they apply, or when the drugs are already generic. A prominent example in the area of IVF is the use of leuprolide acetate (LA) to prevent prematureLH release and ovulation. This contribution will make thecase that there are a number of such medications that are im- portant adjuncts to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation A More than 20 years ago, LA was found to effectively block (COH). The decision as to when to adopt these ‘‘orphan indi- premature ovulation, which otherwise resulted in the cancel- cations’’ is complex. The authors will illustrate the decision- ation of about 20% of IVF cycles. This benefit was so clear making process by using a dozen examples grouped into nine and dramatic that one of the authors (D.M.) suggested that strategies ranging from widely accepted to still somewhat uncertain. Recommendations regarding use and informedconsent will be made for each.
B The mechanism has been clearly delineated.
The decision-making process is influenced by the follow- D A subsequent meta-analysis found that the likelihood of A. Evidence based on well-designed, randomized, placebo- a successful pregnancy using LA was increased almost two- controlled trials (including meta-analysis of such trials), fold , although that was likely an overestimate due to the and corroborating evidence from other studies.
inclusion of studies where the control group not given LAalso received clomiphene citrate (CC). Also, more embryos Received September 8, 2008; revised March 12, 2009; accepted March are available for cryopreservation, resulting in more pregnan- 20, 2009; published online May 6, 2009.
D.R.M. has nothing to disclose. R.J.C. has performed consulting for Beckman-Coulter. D. de Z. holds stock in Ultrast, serves on the advisory board for Ferring, and has performed consulting for IBSA Pharmaceuti-cals. W.B.S. has nothing to disclose. R.T.S. has received research Conclusion After more than 20 years of use and clear evi- grants from EMD Serono, Organon, and Ferring. A.P. has nothing to dence of benefit with minimal risk, use of LA continues to be ‘‘off label’’ as an adjunct for IVF. Use is so widespread Reprint requests: David Meldrum, M.D., Reproductive Partners Medical that informed consent is not required, except as part of a com- Group, 510 North Prospect Avenue, Suite 202, Redondo Beach, CA90277 (FAX: 310-798-7304; E-mail: Fertility and Sterilityâ Vol. 92, No. 1, July 2009 Copyright ª2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Published by Elsevier Inc.
Oral Contraceptives (OCs) and Estrogen (E) . Addition of metformin to FSH treatment for CC-resis- A Although GnRH agonists can be used to schedule cycles, tant patients with PCOS has been reported to reduce the num- pronounced side effects can occur during extended ovarian ber of preovulatory follicles and the peak level of E2 suppression. Biljan et al. reported that OC pretreatment Ovulation induced with metformin has been associated reduced the amount of gonadotropin required for COH and with decreased T levels and marked increases of glycodelin therefore appeared to improve synchronization of the follic- levels during the luteal phase in women with PCOS ular cohort instead of agonist alone, suggesting it as a useful Uterine blood flow is reduced in PCOS and both metformin adjunct for scheduling cycles and improving IVF outcome.
and blockade of the effect of T by flutamide increase uterine One of the authors (D. de Z.) was first to suggest use of luteal blood flow in those women . HOXA-10, required for E for scheduling of COH , and that adjunct has subse- implantation, is suppressed in PCOS by T, and that effect is quently been reported to synchronize the follicles and im- blocked by the T antagonist, flutamide Use of metfor- prove the response to COH . Another of the authors min in PCOS improves altered blood lipids and may reduce (R.S.) has reported improved COH in poor responders with E Lactic acidosis has rarely been reported. Liver and kidney B The FSH and follicular growth are suppressed by either disease should be excluded before use and metformin should be stopped during acute illnesses and when radiologic dye isto be used.
Conclusion Metformin appears to have benefits in women D Cyst formation resulting from GnRH agonists is also re- with PCOS throughout ovulation induction treatments and particularly during IVF cycles by reducing OHSS. The OHSS is the most serious complication of IVF in womenwith PCOS and may lead to catastrophic complications andeven death. It should be noted that most clinical studies on the use of metformin in PCOS have not been based on dem- A A meta-analysis of five trials has reported a very highly onstrated insulin resistance, although the criteria for the diag- significant (P<.00001) decrease of ovarian hyperstimulation nosis of PCOS has varied. Use is now sufficiently widespread syndrome (OHSS) with metformin (odds ratio [OR] 0.21, that a separate informed consent is not required.
95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11–0.41) in women withpolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) having IVF .
B One of the authors (J.C.) was first to make the observation A In a meta-analysis of randomized trials in poor responders, of elevated levels of insulin in PCOS, aside from the increase growth hormone was reported to increase the PRs and birth expected with the commonly associated obesity in this syn- rates by approximately three- and fourfold, respectively, drome Insulin, which is reduced by metformin, is one compared with placebo Growth hormone was not effec- of the principal factors that stimulates the production of vas- tive in increasing ovarian response, which was the original cular endothelial growth factor by luteinized granulosa cells purpose of those trials. The authors suggested that further in- (GC) . In an editorial discussing that study, one of the au- formation was needed to confirm this finding. Subsequently, thors (D.M.) suggested that various strategies, including rou- a randomized trial was undertaken in poor responding tine use of metformin, could be used to reduce insulin levels women older than 40 years having IVF . Their poor re- and the incidence of OHSS in women with PCOS having IVF sponder status was clearly indicated by a peak level of E . Also, because androgens stimulate GC FSH receptors, of 912 pg/mL (SD 129), in spite of stimulation with 600 IU metformin may reduce OHSS by decreasing the ovarian of gonadotropins. Approximately four- and fivefold increases of the PRs and delivery rates were noted, respectively, with a trend toward better embryo quality with growth hormone,and intrafollicular E D A prospective, randomized trial in women with PCOS has 2 levels were significantly increased.
One of the authors (W.S.), in a study of minidose LA together reported significantly higher rates of ongoing pregnancy per with growth hormone, reported a 25% rate of heartbeat per cycle and per transfer with metformin versus placebo transferred embryo in poor responders with a mean of almost This finding is supported by a case-controlled study that three failed cycles, consistent with the degree of benefit also reported an increase in the pregnancy rate (PR) and a highly significant increase of embryo quality with metfor-min , but in a meta-analysis of the five small randomized B Increased apoptosis has been reported in the GCs of older trials published to date (about 200 subjects total in each women having IVF Growth hormone and its intermedi- group), the 29% increase of the PR observed was not statisti- ary, insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) are two of the most cally significant . Very recently, a large meta-analysis of well-characterized factors known to reduce apoptosis and trials adding metformin or placebo to CC has reported signif- improve the health and proliferation of GCs , which are icant increases of ovulation and pregnancy with metformin crucial to the nourishment of the maturing oocyte.
A Human chorionic gonadotropin has been routinely usedand is approved as an LH surrogate to induce ovulation.
E Minimal. Use in a diabetic could adversely influence blood With the increasing use of recombinant FSH for ovarian stim- ulation, one of the authors (D.M.) proposed that small doses Conclusion Growth hormone has been reported to increase of hCG would be effective adjuncts for ovarian stimulation, successful IVF outcome in low responding women. However, therfore the use of hMG would be unnecessary Most as its use is not widespread, a specific informed consent is ad- of the LH activity in hMG is from the approximately 10 units of hCG in each 75 IU vial, but the amount of hCG and LHbioactivity varies from batch to batch and among suppliers.
Dilute hCG has the advantage of providing a consistent LH-like effect, as long as a sufficient volume is used. Various A Daly et al. were first to report that dexamethasone in- compounding pharmacies are making up these small doses.
creased the response to CC in women with PCOS comparedwith placebo. Subsequent studies in women resistant to CC B One of the authors (D. M.) showed that a single dose of 50 reported a high response rate, even when the levels of adrenal IU of hCG increased the level of bioactive LH/hCG to normal androgens were normal Dexamethasone was given in the mid-to-late follicular phase in women suppressed with in those trials as a daily dose of 0.5 mg. Subsequently, there a potent GnRH antagonist . Because of its long half-life, have been two additional randomized trials in women failing we suggested that a daily dose of 20–30 IU would provide to ovulate with up to 150–250 mg of CC The rate of similar LH-like activity. A dose of 50 IU of hCG was subse- ovulation increased four- to fivefold and the rate of preg- quently used successfully in a patient with hypogonadotropic nancy per cycle increased 8- to 10-fold. In these trials the hypogonadism treated with pure FSH .
dose of dexamethasone was 2 mg, but given only during the 5 days of CC and for the following 5 days (days 5–14for women receiving CC days 5 through 9). In those trials Conclusion Use of 10–30 IU daily of hCG may be logically hCG was routinely given to induce ovulation. Also, in a large used as an alternative to substituting 75–225 IU of hMG for randomized trial of dexamethasone during stimulation for the same dose of pure FSH when addition of LH activity is IVF, a dramatic decrease of cancelled cycles from 12.4%– desired. A separate consent is not suggested.
2.8 % was noted, and the implantation rates and PRs werehigher, despite inclusion of those poor prognosis women go- A Rubinstein et al., in 1999 in this journal , published B The role of glucocorticoids in the follicle is not well de- a large, well-designed trial that found increases of ovarian re- fined, although it is certainly of interest that the ratio of cor- sponse, pregnancy outcome, and ovarian and uterine blood tisol (F) to cortisone in follicular fluid (FF) has been flow with 100 mg of aspirin compared with placebo in a pop- reported to strongly correlate with IVF success Al- ulation residing in a large metropolis. The aspirin was begun though the major increase of androgens during ovarian with the onset of midluteal agonist and was continued stimulation results from FSH stimulation, supression of ad- renal production of androgens by dexamethasone may con- B Low dose aspirin is thought to increase blood flow by tribute to maximizing uterine receptivity by lowering total changing the balance of vasoconstricting thromboxane rela- androgen levels and resulting in the benefits discussed pre- tive to vasodilating prostacyclin. Ovarian blood flow has been reported to correlate with ovarian response and uterine blood flow has been implicated in implantation, which isa highly vascular phenomenon. It is not known how long ovarian blood flow must be increased to potentially influence E Minimal. Glucocorticoids should not be used with peptic ovarian response. The most important time for maximal ulcer disease, infection, diabetes, or latent tuberculosis.
blood flow may be between hCG and egg retrieval, during With its use before IVF, the authors did not use any steroid boost for oocyte retrieval, nor did they describe any tapering C Subsequently a meta-analysis has been published, also in this journal, combining seven remarkably heterogeneous tri- Conclusion Dexamethasone has been reported to be a highly als with the conclusion that the ovarian response and PR are effective adjunct to CC. However, it is not yet known whether not increased In two of these trials the aspirin was its benefits will accrue in women failing CC and metformin started on the same day as ovarian stimulation was begun therapy. Dexamethasone has been widely used in PCOS, and in one trial the aspirin was stopped at the time of hCG ad- but a center may wish to have separate informed consent be- ministration. The patient populations varied widely from cause the higher dose, short duration regimen has not yet a small city in Scandinavia to environments closer to that of the original trial. Two studies were in frozen embryo cycles and egg donation recipients, where an effect on em- Conclusion The pathophysiology of OHSS and the benefit of bryo quality would not be seen, and the hormone levels are cabergoline have been extensively worked out, and a well-de- entirely different from the original trial. One trial was in signed study reported that it successfully reduced vascular poor responders and one trial was in women with an endome- permeability, hemoconcentration, and ascites in donors at trium refractory to usual doses of E. In a very large trial not high risk. With careful informed consent, the benefits warrant included in the meta-analysis, presumably due to the random- use in certain high risk situations. Further experience is ad- ization method, the aspirin was started only with embryo vised before suggesting routine use in all egg donors at risk transfer, yet a significant increase in the PR was observed for OHSS or in women having IVF with embryo transfer.
. However, a reanalysis of published trials by the Divisionof Epidemiology of the National Institutes of Health concluded that the clinical PR was increased and ‘‘there is no reason to change clinical management and discontinue A Balasch et al. reported the use of transdermal T for 5 days preceding ovarian stimulation in poor responders, witha marked increase in the number of follicles and peak E D Ovarian stimulation is accompanied by increases of clot- and an increase of circulating IGF-I. Although the patients’ ting factors. The platelet-inhibiting effect of aspirin may prior cycles were used as the control, therefore potentially bi- reduce the chance of a thrombotic event with COH and asing the study by regression to the mean, their inclusion of a second control cycle with an identical poor response would E The anticoagulant effect could increase the chance of argue for a true treatment effect. One of the authors (A.P.) re- ported in a pilot study that letrozole, which increases intrao-varian androgen by blocking conversion to E, was associated Conclusion A meta-analysis would negate the findings of with an increased ovarian response to gonadotropins, in- a previous large, well-designed trial only if the subjects are creased FF T, and a marked increase of implantation com- similar and the study medication is applied as in the original pared with women not given letrozole Barad et al.
trial. For the full effect to be seen, it may be necessary to start have reported that giving DHEA (a precursor for T in treatment well before the onset of stimulation, and to con- the ovary) before and during IVF in poor responders was as- tinue therapy uninterrupted until well after embryo transfer.
sociated with an increase in the number of oocytes, embryos, Furthermore, the data have been reanalyzed with the conclu- and the rate of clinical pregnancy compared with retrospec- sion that there is indeed an increase of the PR. The presumed benefit of aspirin must stand until refuted by a valid meta-analysis of similar trials. Because of the extremely low risk B Androgens increase FSH receptor activity, and well-con- of low dose aspirin and because it is widely used, a separate trolled studies in the primate have reported increased ovarian response using a comparable amount of T to that used in thestudy by Balash et al. Granulosa cell androgen receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) in the primate has been reportedto correlate positively with proliferation and negatively A One of the authors (A.P.) has published a study reporting with apoptosis of GCs . Androgens increase IGF-I and that 0.5 mg of cabergoline given daily for 8 days to egg do- therefore may act on GCs in a way similar to growth nors at high risk of OHSS starting at the time of hCG admin- istration decreased hemoconcentration, ascites, and vascularpermeability compared with placebo . These authors also C Testosterone gel did not increase ovarian response, but the have done a pilot study in women having embryo transfer circulating levels of T were lower than with the T patch with no adverse effects on fertilization, implantation, and E Although letrozole causes fetal abnormalities in animals, B Cabergoline and other dopamine agonists decrease expres- such an effect has not been demonstrated in humans when sion of the receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor and the drug is stopped 10–12 days before embryo transfer therefore the actions of vascular endothelial growth factor incausing OHSS Conclusion Androgens and drugs that increase ovarian an-drogens, such as letrozole, may become important adjuncts for patients with low prognosis IVF. Well-designed prospec- E Cabergoline is used in women with hyperprolactinemia at tive, placebo-controlled studies will be necessary to defini- up to 1.0 mg twice weekly. The most common side effects are tively characterize them in enhancing ovarian response and headache, nausea, and dizziness. With long-term treatment valvular heart disease has rarely been observed (3/1,000),generally with doses much higher than 0.5 mg. No caseswere observed with less than 6 months of use. It is difficult to ascribe any significant risk to administration for 8 days It is the authors’ opinion that there are many important ad- juncts to ovarian stimulation that likely will never receive official indications for optimizing the outcomes of COH. In 13. Creanga AA, Bradley HM, McCormick C, Witkop CT. Use of metformin the absence of involvement of regulatory agencies and the in polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis. Obstet Gyneco 2008;111:959–68.
pharmaceutical industry in development and promotion of 14. De Leo V, la Marca A, Ditto A, Morgante G, Cianci A. Effects of met- these ‘‘orphan indications,’’ clinicians, researchers, and med- formin on gonadotropin-induced ovulation in women with polycystic ical societies and their journals must assume those roles. Phy- ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril 1999;72:282–5.
15. Jakubowicz DJ, Seppala M, Jakubowicz S, Rodriguez-Armas O, Rivas- Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), and national patient advo- Santiago A, Koistinen H, et al. Insulin reduction with metformin in-creases luteal phase serum glycodelin and insulin-like growth factor- cacy groups, such as Resolve, should lobby the Food and binding protein 1 concentrations and enhances uterine vascularity and Drug Administration to offer similar incentives for ‘‘orphan blood flow in the polycystic ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab indications’’ to those in the Orphan Drug Act and to include well-designed trials, regardless of country of origin, in the ap- 16. Ajossa S, Guerriero S, Paoletti AM, Orru M, Melis JB. The antiandro- proval process. Otherwise, new drug treatments will be lim- genic effect of flutamide improves uterine perfusion in women with poly-cystic ovary syndrome. Fertil Steril 2002;77:1136–40.
ited to expensive new medications while ignoring major 17. Cermik D, Selam B, Taylor HS. Regulation of HOXA-10 expression by benefits of drugs already established as safe for other uses.
testosterone in vitro and in the endometrium of patients with polycystic The authors have illustrated the factors to be taken into ac- ovary syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003;88:238–43.
count for physicians to consider adopting these ‘‘orphan indi- 18. Harper K, Proctor M, Hughes E. Growth hormone for in vitro fertiliza- cations.’’ We have made suggestions for use of those adjuncts tion. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2003;3:1–33.
19. Tesarik J, Hazout A, Mendoza C. Improvement of delivery and live birth that are well established, and have discussed some new ad- rates after ICSI in women aged >40 years by ovarian co-stimulation with juncts that may be important in the near future.
growth hormone. Hum Reprod 2005;20:2536–41.
20. Schoolcraft W, Schlenker T, Gee M, Stevens J, Wagley L. Improved con- trolled ovarian hyperstimulation in poor responder in vitro fertilization patients with a microdose follicle-stimulating hormone flare, growth hor- 1. Meldrum DR, Wisot A, Hamilton F, Gutlay AL, Kempton WF, Huynh D.
mone protocol. Fertil Steril 1997;67:93–7.
Routine pituitary suppression with leuprolide before ovarian stimulation 21. Bencomo E, Perez R, Arteaga MF, Acosta E, Pena O, Lopez L, et al.
for oocyte retrieval. Fertil Steril 1989;51:455–9.
Apoptosis of cultured granulosa-lutein cells is reduced by insulin- 2. Hughes EG, Fedorkow DM, Daya S, Sagle MA, Van de Koppel P, like growth factor I and may correlate with embryo fragmentation and Collins JA. The routine use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists pregnancy rate. Fertil Steril 2006;85:474–80.
prior to in vitro fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer: a meta- 22. Daly DC, Walters CA, Soto-Albors CE, Tohan N, Riddick DH. A ran- analysis of randomized controlled trials. Fertil Steril 1992;58:888–96.
domized study of dexamethasone in ovulation induction with clomi- 3. Biljan MM, Mahutte NG, Dean N, Hemmings R, Bissonnette F, Tan SL.
phene citrate. Fertil Steril 1984;41:844–8.
Effects of pretreatment with an oral contraceptive on the time required to 23. Lobo RA, Wellington P, March CM, Granger L, Kletsky OA. Clomi- achieve pituitary suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone ana- phene and dexamethasone in women unresponsive to clomiphene alone.
logues and on subsequent implantation and pregnancy rates. Fertil Steril 24. Trott EA, Plouffe L, Hansen K, Hines R, Brann DW, Mahesh VB. Ovu- 4. de Zeigler D, Jaaskelainen AS, Brioschi PA, Fanchin R, Bulletti C. Syn- lation induction in clomiphene-resistant anovulatory women with nor- chronization of endogenous and exogenous FSH stimuli in controlled mal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels: beneficial effects of the ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). Hum Reprod 1998;13:561–4.
addition of dexamethasone during the follicular phase. Fertil Steril 5. Fanchin R, Salomon L, Castelo-Branco A, Olivennes F, Frydman N, Frydman R. Luteal estradiol pre-treatment coordinates follicular growth 25. Parsanezhad ME, Alborzi S, Motazedian S, Omrani G. Use of dexameth- during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with GnRH antagonists.
asone and clomiphene citrate in the treatment of clomiphene citrate- resistant patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal dehydroe- 6. Frattarelli JL, Hill MJ, McWilliams GD, Miller KA, Bergh PA, Scott RT.
piandrosterone sulfate levels: a prospective, double-blind, placebo- A luteal estradiol protocol for expected poor-responders improves controlled trial. Fertil Steril 2002;78:1001–4.
embryo number and quality. Fertil Steril 2008;89:1118–22.
26. Elnashar A, Abdelmageed E, Fayed M, Sharaf M. Clomiphene citrate 7. Costello MF, Chapman M, Conway U. A systematic review and meta- and dexamethasone in treatment of clomiphene citrate-resistant polycys- analysis of randomized controlled trials on metformin co-administration tic ovary syndrome: a prospective placebo-controlled study. Hum Reprod during gonadotrophin ovulation induction or IVF in women with poly- cystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod 2006;21:1387–99.
27. Keay SD, Lenton EA, Cooke ID, Hull MGR, Jenkins JM. Low-dose 8. Chang RJ, Nakamura RM, Judd HL, Kaplan SA. Insulin resistance in dexamethasone augments the ovarian response to exogenous gonadotro- nonobese patients with polycystic ovarian disease. J Clin Endocrinol pins leading to a reduction in cycle cancellation rate in a standard IVF programme. Hum Reprod 2001;16:1861–5.
9. Agrawal R, Jacobs H, Payne N, Conway G. Concentration of vascular en- 28. Thurston LM, Norgate DP, Jonas KC, Gregory L, Wood PJ, Cooke BA.
dothelial growth factor released by cultured luteinized granulosa cells is Ovarian modulators of type 1 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase higher in women with polycystic ovaries than in women with normal (11betaHSD) activity and intra-follicular cortisol:cortisone ratios ovaries. Fertil Steril 2002;78:1164–9.
correlate with the clinical outcome of IVF. Hum Reprod 2003;18: 10. Meldrum DR. Vascular endothelial growth factor, polycystic ovary syn- drome, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Fertil Steril 2002;78: 29. Lewicka S, von Hagens C, Hettinger U, Grunwald K, Vecsei P, Runnebaum B, et al. Cortisol and cortisone in human follicular fluid 11. Tang T, Glanville J, Orsi N, Barth JH, Balen AH. The use of metformin and serum and the outcome of IVF treatment. Hum Reprod 2003;18: for women with PCOS undergoing IVF treatment. Hum Reprod 2006;21: 30. Thompson KA, La Polt PS, Rivier J, Henderson G, Dahl K, 12. Stadtmauer LA, Toma SK, Reihl RM, Talbert LM. Metformin treatment Meldrum DR. Gonadotropin requirements of the developing follicle.
of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing in vitro fertiliza- tion improves outcomes and is associated with modulation of the insulin- 31. Filicori M, Cognigni GE, Taraborrelli S, Spettoli D, Ciampaglia W, like growth factors. Fertil Steril 2001;75:505–9.
de Fatis CD. Low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin therapy can improve sensitivity to exogenous follicle-stimulating hormone in pa- ian hyperstimulation syndrome. Hum Reprod Update 2008;14: tients with secondary amenorrhea. Fertil Steril 1999;72:1118–20.
32. Rubinstein M, Marazzi A, Polak de Fried E. Low-dose aspirin treatment 39. Schade R, Andersoh F. Suissa, S, Haverkamp W, Garbe E. Dopamine ag- improves ovarian responsiveness, uterine and ovarian blood flow veloc- onist and the risk of cardiac-valve regurgitation. N Engl J Med 2007;356: ity, implantation, and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing in vitro fer- tilization: a prospective, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled 40. Balasch J, Frabregues F, Penarrubia J, Carmona F, Casamitjana R, assay. Fertil Steril 1999;71:825–9.
Creus M, et al. Pretreatment with transdermal testosterone may improve 33. Khairy M, Banerjee K, El-Toukhy T, Coomarasamy A, Khalaf Y. Aspirin ovarian response to gonadotrophins in poor-responder IVF patients with in women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment: a systematic review normal basal concentrations of FSH. Hum Reprod 2006;21:1884–93.
and meta-analysis. Fertil Steril 2007;88:822–31.
41. Garcia-Velasco JA, Moreno L, Pacheco A, Guillen A, Duque L, 34. Waldenstrom U, Hellberg D, Nilsson S. Low-dose aspirin in a short reg- Requena A, et al. The aromatase inhibitor letrozole increases the concen- imen as standard treatment in in vitro fertilization: a randomized, pro- tration of ovarian androgens and improves in vitro fertilization outcome spective study. Fertil Steril 2004;81:1560–4.
in low responder patients: a pilot study. Fertil Steril 2005;84:82–7.
35. Ruopp MD, Collins TC, Whitcomb BW, Schisterman EF. Evidence of 42. Barad D, Brill H, Gleicher N. Update on the use of dehydroepiandroster- absence or absence of evidence? A reanalysis of the effects of low one supplementation among women with diminished ovarian function.
dose aspirin in in vitro fertilization. Fertil Steril 2008;90:71–6.
36. Alverez C, Marti-Bonmati L, Novella-Maestre E, Sanz R, Gomez R, 43. Weil SJ, Vendola K, Zhou J, Adesanya OO, Wang J, Okafor J, et al.
Fernandez-Sanchez M, et al. Dopamine agonist cabergoline reduces Androgen receptor gene expression in the primate ovary: cellular local- hemoconcentration and ascites in hyperstimulated women under- ization, regulation, and functional correlations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab going assisted reproduction. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2007;92: 44. Massin N, Cedrin-Durnerin I, Coussieu C, Galey-Fontaine J, Wolf JP, 37. Alverez C, Alonso-Muriel I, Garcia G, Crespo J, Bellver J, Simon C, Hugues JN. Effects of transdermal testosterone application on the ovar- et al. Implantation is apparently unaffected by the dopamine agonist ca- ian response to FSH in poor responders undergoing assisted reproduction bergoline when administered to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syn- technique—a prospective, randomized, double-blind study. Hum Reprod drome in women undergoing assisted reproduction treatment: a pilot 45. Tulandi T, Martin J, Al-Fadhli R, Kabli N, Forman R, Hitkari J. Congen- 38. Soares SR, Gomez R, Simon C, Garcia-Velasco JA, Pellicer A. Tar- ital malformations among 911 newborns conceived after infertility treat- geting the vascular endothelial growth factor system to prevent ovar- ment with letrozole or clomiphene citrate. Fertil Steril 2006;85:1761–5.

Source: http://www.kinderwunschzentrum-an-der-oper.de/uploads/tx_news/090814-Hormoneller-Jungbrunnen_01.pdf