Pilot study of the optimal protocol of low dose step‐up follicle stimulating hormone therapy for infertile women

PURPOSE: To evaluate the optimized protocol of low dose follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) therapy that has a starting dose of 50 IU/62.5 IU with a small increment dose (12.5 IU) for women with World Health Organization (WHO) II ovulatory disorder and unexplained infertility. METHODS: Anovulatory women with WHO group II ovulatory disorder (ovulation induction [OI] patients, n = 29), and with an unexplained infertility (ovarian stimulation [OS] patients, n = 21) were enrolled. The protocol of low dose step‐up FSH therapy was optimized for the starting dose as 50 IU (body mass index [BMI] < 20 group) and 62.5 IU (BMI ≥ 20 group) with the increment dose of 12.5 IU. Study outcomes were ovulation, monofollicular development and other variables. RESULTS: In the OIpatients, the ovulation rate was 100% (BMI < 20 group) and 90.9% (BMI ≥ 20 group). Monofollicular development was 80.0% (BMI < 20) and 77.3% (BMI ≥ 20). The pregnancy rate was 60% (3/5 BMI < 20) and 18.2% (4/22 BMI ≥ 20). There was no multiple pregnancy. In the OSpatients, the ovulation rate was 100%. Monofollicular development was 85.7% (BMI < 20) and 76.6% (BMI ≥ 20). No pregnancy was achieved in the OSpatients. CONCLUSION: Optimized protocol of low dose FSH therapy setting a starting dose 50 IU/62.5 IU by BMI with an increment dose of 12.5 IU was safe and highly effective in WHO group II anovulatory patients. However, this protocol seemed uneffective for patients with unexplained infertility.