Is growth hormone administration essential for in vitro fertilization treatment of female patients with growth hormone deficiency?

Available evidence suggests that the fertility of growth hormone deficient female patients could be decreased, although the responsible mechanisms are unknown. Taking into account the multiple effects of growth hormone on reproduction suggested by experimental and clinical studies in women without growth hormone deficiency, the growth hormone deficit by itself could contribute to infertility in these patients. However, the necessity of growth hormone administration and the profile of the infertile patients with growth hormone deficiency who would benefit from treatment are largely unknown. Growth hormone effects on oocyte quality is one of the possible mechanisms through which growth hormone could be involved in fertility of these patients. However, this hypothesis was not tested in patients with adequately diagnosed growth hormone deficiency. We present the case of a 29-year-old female patient with growth hormone deficiency and tubal infertility who was referred for in vitro fertilization treatment. The couple underwent two conventional in vitro fertilization procedures: the first one, without growth hormone treatment and, because no pregnancy was achieved, the second one after growth hormone (somatropinum) administration for 3 months. Although the number of the retrieved oocytes was the same, the quality of the oocytes was improved and their ability to evolve into good quality embryos after fertilization was increased after growth hormone administration. Consequently, the pregnancy was obtained after the second in vitro fertilization treatment and patient gave birth to a healthy boy. In conclusion, our case report suggests that adequate levels of growth hormone are essential for an adequate competence of the oocytes in infertile patients with growth hormone deficiency. Therefore, growth hormone administration should be taken into consideration for patients with this deficiency in order to optimize the results of infertility treatment. Abbreviations: GH: growth hormone; GHD: growth hormone deficiency; HCG: human chorionic gonadotropin; IVF: in vitro fertilization; IGF: insulin like growth factor.