Minimum ovarian stimulation involving combined clomiphene citrate and estradiol treatment for in vitro fertilization of Bologna-criteria poor ovarian responders (original) (raw)

2016, The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a minimal ovarian stimulation involving combined clomiphene citrate (CC) and estradiol (E2) administration for poor responders with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). In this case-control study, we recruited 41 consecutive hypergonadotropic poor responders (69 cycles) who met Bologna-criteria and had experienced cancellation of oocyte retrieval. In 10 (20 cycles), 11 (21 cycles) and 20 patients (28 cycles) between 2012 and 2014, follicular development was induced using an E2 cycle, CC cycle and CC + E2 cycle, respectively. After confirmation of high follicle-stimulating hormone levels (15-40 mIU/ml) at menstrual day 3, DOR patients were treated with oral E2 of 1.0 mg/day, CC of 100 mg/day, or both CC and E2 continuously, until ovulation induction. Two days later, we transvaginally aspirated the follicles, performed in vitro fertilization, and cryopreserved the cleavage embryos. One warmed embryo was transferred into the uterus durin...