Donor-recipient synchronization and the use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists to avoid the premature luteinizing hormone surge in oocyte donation

Abstract

Since the introduction of the oocyte donation technique in humans, a number of reports have been published reflecting the success and improvement of this technique. Initially, the most important problems were donor-recipient synchronization at the moment of donation and the premature secretory changes in the endometrium consequent to the spontaneous luteinizing hormone (LH) rise in patients that still showed ovarian function. Today, with the new substitutive hormonal protocols, these two major problems have been solved. The endogenous LH rise can be avoided by administering gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists, without any deleterious effects on implantation when they are used in patients with ovarian function. Donor-recipient synchronization is possible because the recipients can remain indefinitely with substitutive therapy until the donation becomes feasible. Here, our experiences with both new strategies are presented.