Clinical pregnancy rates of frozen embryo transfer with and without use of growth hormone in recipients of oocyte donation .

Recently some studies have shown that administration of Growth Hormone (GH) have improved the uterine receptivity of embryo [1]. Some other published studies have shown that simultaneous administration of GH with hormone-replacement therapy could improve clinical outcomes after frozen embryo transfer by increasing endometrial blood perfusion and expression of cytokines related to endometrial receptivity [2]. There are many studies which have already shown that, administration of growth hormone (GH) during ovarian stimulation in women with poor ovarian response improve success rates of IVF [3–8]. This improvement is related to the beneficial effects of GH on oocyte quality leading to a higher number of oocytes retrieval, higher fertilization rate, higher number of embryos, higher pregnancy rate and higher live birth also[5-13]. Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide hormone which has important roles in cell growth and metabolism in the body [14-16]. Since the uterus is a site of both GH production and GH action, the beneficial effect of GH on assisted reproduction can also be due to an action of GH on the uterus, enhancing the receptivity of endometrium leading to improved embryo implantation [17]. Research outcomes have shown that use of GH in super ovulated cows increase embryonic development, and also improve post transfer pregnancy rates when given to embryo recipients [18]. Hence further studies of GH effects on human uterine receptivity are definitely warranted before any clinical recommendation.

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4. Du XF, Yang XH, Li J, Hao M, Guo YH. Growth hormone co-treatment within a GnRH agonist long protocol improves implantation and pregnancy rates in patients undergoing IVF-ET. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2016;294(4):877–883.

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8. Bassiouny YA, Dakhly DMR, Bayoumi YA, Hashish NM. Does the addition of growth hormone to the in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection antagonist protocol improve outcomes in poor responders? A randomized, controlled trial. Fertil Steril. 2016;105(3):697–702.

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12. Lattes K, Brassesco M, Gomez M, Checa MA. Low-dose growth hormone supplementation increases clinical pregnancy rate in poor responders undergoing in vitro fertilisation. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2015; 31(7):565–568.

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16. Menezo YJR, Nicollet B, Rollet J, Hazout A. Pregnancy and delivery after in vitro maturation of naked ICSI-GV oocytes with GH and transfer of a frozen thawed blastocyst: case report. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2006;23(1):47–49.

17. Hull KL, Harvey S. Growth hormone and reproduction: a review of endocrine and autocrine/paracrine interactions. Int J Endocrinol. 2014;2014:234014.

18. Moreira F, Badinga L, Burnley C, Thatcher WW. Bovine somatotropin increases embryonic development in superovulated cows and improves post-transfer pregnancy rates when given to lactating recipient cows. Theriogenology. 2002;57(4):1371–1387.