Effects of oral contraceptives on ovulation induction in in vitro fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency

Abstract

Objective: To report a case series of in vitro fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency, who were treated with oral contraceptives to reduce follicle stimulating hormone levels.

Method: This was a consecutive case series in a tertiary teaching hospital in China. Twenty-two women with refractory and idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency were administered a drospirenone/ethinylestradiol oral contraceptive orally. The main outcome measures were the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of embryos frozen.

Results: There were total 106 oral contraceptive treatment cycles and 53 oocyte retrieval cycles in 20 patients (91%, 20/22; 2.4 cycles per woman, 53/22). The total number of oocytes retrieved was 48 in 17 patients (77%, 17/22; 2.2 oocytes per woman, 48/22), and the total number of embryos frozen was 33 in 16 patients (73%, 16/22; 1.5 embryos per woman, 33/22).

Conclusion: Oral contraception may be an effective method to induce ovulation for some patients with premature ovarian insufficiency.

Keywords:

• Oral contraceptives
• premature ovarian insufficiency
• premature ovarian failure
• ovulation induction
• infertility

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by a grant from the Military Medical Innovation Project of PLA (no. 17JS004) and a Clinical Applications Research Project in the Capital Area (no. Z151100004015214).