Abstract
The combined oral contraceptive (COC) pill has been used in patients undergoing IVF treatment to schedule the treatment cycle, to improve the ovarian response in poor responders and, somewhat paradoxically therefore, to also reduce the incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women with polycystic ovarian disease. Most of the evidence is based on its pretreatment use in conjunction with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist protocols used during IVF. Pretreatment with the COC might reduce the formation of functional ovarian cysts during the initial phase of pituitary suppression and allow a more homogenous follicle population to develop during controlled ovarian stimulation. While the requirement for gonadotrophins may increase with the pretreatment use of the COC and the clinical pregnancy rates reduce, live birth rates do not appear to be affected. This report revisits the current evidence on the role of the COC in patients undergoing IVF treatment and its potential role in assisted reproduction treatment.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.