This case illustrates the possibility of obtaining oocytes that fertilize and cleave normally after the administration of a second ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in a case of 'empty follicle syndrome'. The present patient underwent ovarian stimulation with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa)/menotropin for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). After the fa...

To highlight an unusual case of primary omental ectopic pregnancy, and to review the literature surrounding pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF). A 35-year-old female with a diagnosis severe male factor infertility underwent frozen embryo transfer (ET) high-quality blastocyst natural cycle. The human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level 9 days ET was 2.2 IU/L appropriate rise. However, wh...

It has been well demonstrated that luteal phase physiology is disrupted in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles conducted with either gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists or antagonists, and that supplementation of the luteal phase with either exogenous progesterone or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is necessary to optimize IVF cycle outcomes. Though both progesterone and hCG suppl...

BACKGROUND The contribution of the adrenal glands to the total circulating steroid pool in women is not well known. There is evidence that human adrenals express the LH receptor gene and that LH may affect adrenal androgen secretion. METHODS HCG stimulation tests (a single dose of 5000 IU i.m.) were performed in women at reproductive age (group 1, n = 6, age 21--39 years) before and after tre...

Cytotrophoblasts, purified from human term placentae, were cultured in the absence or presence of 8-bromo-cAMP or 8-bromo-cGMP. 8-Bromo-cAMP provoked a dose-dependent increase in the secretion of hCG and progesterone within 24 h. After 48 h, hCG secretion increased by more than 200-fold, and progesterone secretion increased nearly 5-fold. 8-Bromo-cGMP had no effect on hCG secretion. In culture ...

Ovulation Induction and Oocyte Recovery Ovarian hyperstimulation was achieved using GnRH analogue (nafarelin acetate, Synarel®, Pfizer) along with human recombinant FSH (r-hFSH: Gonal-F®, MerckSerono) in a long down-regulation protocol. Starting gonadotrophin dose varied from 150-300 IU and was based on female age, body mass index, ovarian volume, basal FSH levels and the number of preantral fo...

STUDY QUESTION Are low serum concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in very early pregnancy associated with pre-eclampsia risk? SUMMARY ANSWER Low hCG concentrations in very early pregnancy are associated with increased risk of severe pre-eclampsia. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Low maternal serum concentrations of hCG early in pregnancy may indicate impaired proliferation or invasio...

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) remains a major complication of IVF. Triggering ovulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) (as a surrogate to LH) is a major factor in the initiation of OHSS. The pathological process usually intensifies if pregnancy is achieved, as the rising endogenous HCG overstimulates the corpora lutea. Decreasing HCG trigger dose does not prevent OHSS. Gona...

The distribution of binding sites for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the preovulatory follicle was studied by autoradiography. An ovulatory dose (10 IU/rat) of [125I]hCG (1.4 muCi/IU) was administered intravenously, and large Graafian follicles were isolated 3 h later by microdissection. Injection of excess unlabeled hCG (500 IU/rat) prevented uptake of radioactivity by the follicle, ind...