Does the “delayed start” protocol with gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist improve the pregnancy outcome in Bologna poor responders? a randomized clinical trial

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of study participants in two groups

Variables	Control group (N = 60)	Delayed start group (N = 60)	P value
Female age (yr.)	39.5 ± 4.8	40.5 ± 4.48	0.2
Body mass index (kg/m²)	26.1 ± 3.2	26.8 ± 3.0	0.2
Duration of Infertility (yr.)	9.2 ± 6.7	7.9 ± 5.2	0.2
No. of couple with primary infertility n (%)	44 (73.3)	42 (70.0)	0.8
Early follicular phase FSH (IU/L)	8.7 ± 3.3	8.0 ± 2.8	0.3
Early follicular phase LH (IU/L)	5.5 ± 4.2	6.5 ± 4.5	0.1
Early follicular phase AMH (ng/mL)	0.53 ± 0.31	0.55 ± 0.30	0.8
Serum level of TSH (IU/mL)	1.7 ± 0.8	1.9 ± 1.1	0.2
Serum level of Prolactin (ng/mL)	17.8 ± 10.0	17.8 ± 8.7	0.6
Antral follicle count	5.0 ± 1.8	4.7 ± 1.2	0.3
No. of previous failed cycles	1.5 ± 1.2	1.3 ± 1.0	0.1
Subgroups of POR according to Bologna criteria n, (%)			0.2
Subgroup A	0	0
Subgroup B	18 (30)	19 (31.7)
Subgroup C	18 (30)	10 (16.6)
Subgroup D	24 (40)	31 (51.7)

Descriptive data were presented as Mean ± SD. P-value≤0.05 was considered statistically significant
No number, FSH Follicle stimulating hormone, LH = Luteinizing hormone, TSH = Thyroid stimulating hormone, AMH Anti-müllerian hormone, E₂ = estradiol, P = Progesterone
Subgroup A: (female age ≥ 40, and a previous poor response (cycle cancelled or ≤ 3 oocytes)
Subgroup B: female age ≥ 40 with an abnormal antral follicle count (AFC) < 7 and AMH level
Subgroup C: abnormal AFC < 7 and AMH < 1.1 ng/ ml with a previous poor response
Subgroup D: female age ≥ 40 with an AFC < 7 and AMH < 1.1 ng/ ml and previous poor response

ISSN: 1477-7827