Hypothesis/aims of study. Poor ovarian response is still considered one of the most challenging tasks in reproductive medicine. Poor responders have decreased circulating androgens during spontaneous cycles. Androgens are known to play an important role in follicular growth and development. Hence, the use of various androgens and androgen inhibitors in poor responders undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF has been proposed to improve efficacy of treatment. This study was aimed to examine the efficacy of aromatase inhibitors and androgens in infertility treatment in patients with poor response.
Study design, materials and methods. This prospective cohort-controlled clinical trial included 204 patients under 42 years of age with infertility and poor response to ovarian stimulation. In vitro fertilization treatment with an antagonist FSH/hMG protocol with letrozole (5 mg/day) was administered in the first group of patients (n = 26) during the first 5 days of stimulation. Patients of the second group (n = 38) were applied testosterone (25 mg/day) transdermally, starting from the 5th day of the menstrual cycle preceding controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization. The third group of patients (n = 18) was administered dehydroepiandrosterone (100 mg/day) for 3 months prior to controlled ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization.
Results. Improved response to FSH stimulation with letrozole co-treatment was evidenced, with parameters of stimulation efficacy and embryo development being better in the testosterone group. No significant improvement in ovarian response markers, ovarian response to gonadotrophin stimulation and in vitro fertilization outcomes were found in poor responders receiving pre-treatment dehydroepiandrosterone.
Conclusion. Further studies are necessary to improve approaches of testosterone and aromatase inhibitors use in poor responders undergoing in vitro fertilization.
ESHRE consensus on the definition of 'poor response' to ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization: the Bologna criteria