Merck features Instituto Bernabeu research work on the efficiency of double stimulation as presented at the ESHRE congress

Instituto Bernabeu gave an oral communication at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Congress entitled ‘The luteal phase of double ovarian stimulation treatment (DuoStim) provides higher oocyte and blastocyst yield in unselected infertile patients: a retrospective, same-patient, cohort study.’ This study is included in the articles that Merck has featured in its specialist journal focussing on fitting publications that is released following the scientific gathering focussing on fitting publications. The research work carried out by Instituto Bernabeu equals progress in the field. The positive results obtained following stimulation of patients in luteal phase just after ovulation (generally aimed at older patients with poor ovarian response) opens up the option of extending the profile of female patients who can try DuoStim treatment. Dual stimulation could be used for patients between 36 and 39 years of age with a less-than-optimum response (women from whom between 4 and 9 oocytes are retrieved); in PGT-A cycles when embryo analysis is performed in order to detect aneuploidies so that embryos free from genetic abnormalities can be implanted; and also as a fall-back option in cycles when fewer oocytes than expected are retrieved following puncture.

Dr Juan Carlos Castillo, a gynaecologist at Instituto Bernabeu, explains that “Our results showed that the luteal phase in DuoStim achieved greater follicular growth, oocyte yield and blastocyst yield. However, it also showed that fresh oocytes from infertile older patients developed better than vitrified oocytes.”

Response patterns in patient stimulation and the variables in laboratory results between the follicular phase and the luteal phase in dual ovarian stimulation (DuoStim) were analysed in order to obtain these conclusions.