Gonadotropins (Panacea Biotec Ltd.)

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder affecting 4-8% of reproductive-aged women and is a leading cause of infertility due to oligo-anovulation (1). Studies suggest a higher prevalence of 17.8-19.9% based on Rotterdam diagnostic criteria. PCOS is diagnosed by the presence of at least two out of three criteria: oligo- and/or anovulation, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries, with other etiologies excluded (2). Clomiphene citrate (CC), a selective estrogen receptor modulator, has been the first-line treatment for inducing ovulation in anovulatory women with PCOS for decades. Approximately 80% of women resume ovulation with CC, but only 35-40% achieve pregnancy. About 15-40% of women are resistant to CC, defined as failure to ovulate after receiving a maximum dosage of 150 mg per day for 5 days starting on the third day of the menstrual cycle. For CC-resistant women, metformin, an insulin sensitizer, has been explored but shows limited effectiveness except in combination with CC. Gonadotropins are the standard treatment for CC-resistant PCOS but come with risks of multiple pregnancies and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) (3). Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, is another treatment option that prevents the conversion of androgens to estrogen, thereby increasing gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and promoting ovulation. Letrozole has shown superior ovulation and live birth rates compared to CC and is now recommended as the first-line treatment for anovulation in women with PCOS. It has comparable rates of OHSS and miscarriage to CC, but fewer relevant studies have compared it directly to laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) (4). LOD is an alternative to gonadotropins for inducing ovulation in CC-resistant PCOS. It involves surgical intervention, which can be either unilateral or bilateral, and is effective without the risks of multiple pregnancies or OHSS. LOD also increases ovarian responsiveness to CC. Despite minimal morbidity, LOD can lead to tubo-ovarian adhesions and premature ovarian failure, although these risks are reduced by careful technique (5).

The purpose of this study is to determine whether letrozole combined with gonadotropins are effective in the ovarian hyperstimulating for IVF/ICSI in patients with PCOS.