Effectiveness of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH): recombinant human luteinizing hormone versus r-hFSH alone in assisted reproductive technology treatment cycles among women aged 35-40 years: A German database study.

This non-interventional study compared the effectiveness of recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) and recombinant human luteinizing hormone (r-hLH) (2:1 ratio) versus r-hFSH alone for ovarian stimulation (OS) during assisted reproductive technology treatment in women aged 35-40 years, using real-world data from the Deutsches IVF-Register (D·I·R). Numerically higher clinical pregnancy (29.8% [95% CI 28.2, 31.6] vs. 27.8% [26.5, 29.2]) and live birth (20.3% [18.7, 21.8] vs. 18.0% [16.6, 19.4]) rates were observed with r-hFSH:r-hLH versus r-hFSH alone. The treatment effect was consistently higher for r-hFSH:r-hLH compared with r-hFSH alone in terms of clinical pregnancy (relative risk [RR] 1.16 [1.05, 1.26]) and live birth (RR 1.16 [1.02, 1.31]) in a post-hoc analysis of women with 5-14 oocytes retrieved (used as a surrogate for normal ovarian reserve), highlighting the potential benefits of r-hFSH:r-hLH for OS in women aged 35-40 years with normal ovarian reserve.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest APB has received honoraria for lectures from Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and affiliates. JES, DC, ML, and TDH are employees of Merck Healthcare, Darmstadt, Germany. PV was an employee of Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany at the time of the study. RF has received honoraria for lectures and an advisory board on the role of LH from Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and affiliates. BH was an employee of EMD Serono, Rockland, Massachusetts, USA, an affiliate of Merck KGaA, at the time of the study. JK has received honoraria for lectures from Merck Healthcare KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and affiliates.
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