Effect of different growth hormone pretreatment times in assisted reproductive therapy for patients with diminished ovarian reserve: A retrospective pilot cohort study

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different growth hormone (GH) pretreatment times in assisted reproductive therapy in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). A retrospective pilot cohort analysis was performed on patients with DOR receiving GH pretreatment in the Assisted Reproduction Unit of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital. A total of 1459 patients met the criteria and were divided into four groups according to GH pretreatment time as follows: 53 were in the 2-month pretreatment group (GH1), 400 were in the 1-month pretreatment group (GH2), 414 were in the ovulation induction period pretreatment group (GH3), and 592 were in the non-GH pretreatment group (control group). In addition, GH1, GH2, and GH3 were combined in the GH pretreatment group. Baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes were compared between the groups. The number of oocytes retrieved in the GH pretreatment, GH1, GH2, and GH3 groups was significantly higher than that in the control group (all P < .01). The numbers of oocytes retrieved in the GH1 and GH2 groups were similar but were nominally higher than those in the GH3 group. Estradiol concentrations in the GH pretreatment, GH2, and GH3 groups were significantly higher than those in the control group on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin injection (all P < .01). In the GH1 group, 22 patients had >1 assisted reproductive therapy cycle (non-GH pretreatment) before GH pretreatment, and the number of oocytes retrieved in the GH pretreatment cycle was higher than that in the non-GH pretreatment cycle, but this was not significant. These findings suggest that the GH pretreatment time was appropriately prolonged, and the number of oocytes retrieved nominally increased. In patients with DOR, GH pretreatment improved treatment outcomes. More than 1 month of GH pretreatment did not increase the number of oocytes retrieved.