Effects of oral contraceptives on ovulation induction in in vitro fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case series of in vitro fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency, who were treated with oral contraceptives to reduce follicle stimulating hormone levels.

METHOD: This was a consecutive case series in a tertiary teaching hospital in China. Twenty-two women with refractory and idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency were administered a drospirenone/ethinylestradiol oral contraceptive orally. The main outcome measures were the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of embryos frozen.

RESULTS: There were total 106 oral contraceptive treatment cycles and 53 oocyte retrieval cycles in 20 patients (91%, 20/22; 2.4 cycles per woman, 53/22). The total number of oocytes retrieved was 48 in 17 patients (77%, 17/22; 2.2 oocytes per woman, 48/22), and the total number of embryos frozen was 33 in 16 patients (73%, 16/22; 1.5 embryos per woman, 33/22).

CONCLUSION: Oral contraception may be an effective method to induce ovulation for some patients with premature ovarian insufficiency.