Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone Is as Effective as, But Safer Than, Urinary Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Inducing Final Follicular Maturation and Ovulation in in Vitro Fertilization Procedures: Results of a Multicenter Double-Blind Study*

In a prospective, comparative, dose-finding study, the minimal effective dose of recombinant human LH (rhLH) required to induce final follicular maturation and early luteinization in patients under- going in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer was determined. In addition, the efficacy and safety of rhLH were compared with urinary human CG (u-hCG). A total of 259 infertile women, aged 18–39 yr, were enrolled in the study. After pituitary desensitization using a GnRH agonist, rhFSH was administered for ovarian stimulation. the first injection; 129 patients), and those of u-hCG were con-sistently5,000IU(121patients).Ovumpick-upwasperformed34–38hafterrhLHoru-hCGinjection.Afterfertilization invitro ,uptothree embryos were replaced in the uterine cavity. The numbers of oocytes retrieved after u-hCG or rhLH administration were not significantly different between the four different doses of rhLH, when compared with each corresponding u-hCG group, nor when compared with the pool of all u-hCG groups. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences in: the number of oocytes retrieved per follicle with a diameter of over 10 mm on the day of u-hCG or rhLH administration; the number of patients with at least one oocyte retrieved; oocyte nuclear maturity; oocyte potential for fertilization; the number