Follicle-Stimulating Hormone versus Human Menopausal Gonadotropin for in vitro Fertilization: Results of a Meta-Analysis

The observation of adverse effects of high-follicular-phase LH levels on fertilization, cleavage, embryo quality and pregnancy suggests that exogenous LH administration for ovarian stimulation in IVF may also be detrimental. The purpose of this study was to compare the use of FSH with hMG in IVF by conducting a systematic overview and meta-analysis of the evidence in the literature from randomized trials comparing the two gonadotropins. The data were extracted and pooled from eight studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria. The results show that FSH performs significantly better than hMG and is associated with at least 50% higher clinical pregnancy rates.