Growth Hormone Pretreatment in Poseidon Type IV Undergoing ICSI Using Minimal Induction Protocol: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract The aim of this of this clinical trial is to explore whether growth hormone (GH) pretreatment is beneficial for patients with poor ovarian reserve undertaking invitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment. Poor ovarian reserve patients with anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) <1.2 ng/mL were recruited and divided into the GH adjuvant group (GH+ group) and the counterpart without GH pretreatment (GH- group). One-to-one case-control matching was performed to adjust essential confounding factors between the GH+ group and GH- group. A total of 132 patients were included in the present study with 66 patients in each group. minimal ovarian stimulation protocols were applied for ART treatment. Patients were recruited according to POSEIDON group 4 (PG4, age ≥35 years). The demographic data, cycle characteristics, and clinical outcomes between the GH+ group and GH- group, as well as in the further stratified analysis of PG4 were compared. GH adjuvant showed no significant effect on the ovarian response and live birth rate in poor ovarian reserve patients. GH adjuvant failed to promote the live birth rate in PG4. In conclusion, GH pretreatment has no significant difference as an adjuvant in POSEIDON poor ovarian reserve patients older than 35.