Tri-pronucleated zygotes may occur less frequently in luteinizing hormone activity-added cycles

Abstract

Objective. This study was performed to evaluate the association between adding luteinizing hormone (LH) activity and the incidence of tripronuclear (3PN) zygotes occurrence. Methods. The incidence of 3PN and cycle outcomes was compared between recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH)-only and rFSH with exogenous LH activity groups. These comparisons were performed in gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRHa, n = 196) and gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRHant, n = 182) subgroups, and in in vitro fertilisation (IVF) (n = 243) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (n = 135) cycles, respectively. Results. The percentage of 3PN was significantly lower in LH activity-added group compared to rFSH-only group (3.6% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.029). Both in GnRHa and GnRHant subgroups, this incidence tended to be lower in LH-supplemented group, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. In IVF cycles, LH activity-added group showed a lower 3PN rate versus rFSH-only group (4.0% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.018). No difference of 3PN rate was found in ICSI cycles. Conclusions. Supplementation of exogenous LH activity to ovarian stimulation may be associated with lower prevalence of 3PN zygotes in IVF cycles, but not in ICSI cycles. © 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.