Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveOvarian stimulation protocols play a pivotal role in the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments. This study compares the clinical outcomes of the long luteal phase GnRH agonist protocol and the flexible GnRH antagonist protocol in pati...

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Main Authors: Ying Tian, Jing Hao, Xueliang Tu, Shaobin Feng, Mingtao Li, Yang Chen, Zelei Cao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Endocrinology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1526895/full
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author Ying Tian
Jing Hao
Xueliang Tu
Shaobin Feng
Mingtao Li
Yang Chen
Zelei Cao
author_facet Ying Tian
Jing Hao
Xueliang Tu
Shaobin Feng
Mingtao Li
Yang Chen
Zelei Cao
author_sort Ying Tian
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveOvarian stimulation protocols play a pivotal role in the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments. This study compares the clinical outcomes of the long luteal phase GnRH agonist protocol and the flexible GnRH antagonist protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted at the Reproductive Medicine Center, Sanmenxia Hospital, Yellow River, from March 2021 to September 2023. Patients with normal ovarian reserve were enrolled and randomly assigned by a 1:3 ratio to either the long luteal phase protocol (Group A, n=42) or the flexible antagonist protocol (Group B, n=118). Data on patient characteristics, ovarian response, and embryological outcomes were collected and analyzed. Clinical outcomes, including clinical pregnancy, live birth rates, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) incidence, were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify risk factors associated with clinical pregnancy.ResultsThere were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (P>0.05). In terms of primary clinical outcomes, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (54.8% vs. 56.8%, P=0.092), live birth rate (47.6% vs. 52.5%, P=0.278), or incidence of OHSS (0% vs. 2.5%, P=0.055) between Group A and Group B. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of clinical pregnancy, including younger age (OR = 0.956, P = 0.042), higher AFC (OR = 1.127, P = 0.018), higher AMH levels (OR = 1.357, P = 0.005), greater endometrial thickness (OR = 1.162, P = 0.021), higher number of oocytes retrieved (OR = 1.234, P = 0.023), and better embryo quality (Grade I-II) (OR = 1.485, P = 0.002). No significant differences were observed between age-related subgroups (P>0.05), but success rates decreased with increasing age, highlighting age as a key factor influencing IVF/ICSI outcomes.ConclusionThe study found no significant differences in primary clinical outcomes between the two groups. However, younger age, higher AFC, higher AMH levels, greater endometrial thickness, higher number of oocytes retrieved, and better embryo quality were significant predictors of clinical pregnancy.
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spelling doaj-art-210b4ff64d3d4c09b60eea71a9f1e0002025-08-20T03:38:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Endocrinology1664-23922025-08-011610.3389/fendo.2025.15268951526895Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort studyYing TianJing HaoXueliang TuShaobin FengMingtao LiYang ChenZelei CaoObjectiveOvarian stimulation protocols play a pivotal role in the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments. This study compares the clinical outcomes of the long luteal phase GnRH agonist protocol and the flexible GnRH antagonist protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted at the Reproductive Medicine Center, Sanmenxia Hospital, Yellow River, from March 2021 to September 2023. Patients with normal ovarian reserve were enrolled and randomly assigned by a 1:3 ratio to either the long luteal phase protocol (Group A, n=42) or the flexible antagonist protocol (Group B, n=118). Data on patient characteristics, ovarian response, and embryological outcomes were collected and analyzed. Clinical outcomes, including clinical pregnancy, live birth rates, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) incidence, were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to identify risk factors associated with clinical pregnancy.ResultsThere were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups (P>0.05). In terms of primary clinical outcomes, there were no significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate (54.8% vs. 56.8%, P=0.092), live birth rate (47.6% vs. 52.5%, P=0.278), or incidence of OHSS (0% vs. 2.5%, P=0.055) between Group A and Group B. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of clinical pregnancy, including younger age (OR = 0.956, P = 0.042), higher AFC (OR = 1.127, P = 0.018), higher AMH levels (OR = 1.357, P = 0.005), greater endometrial thickness (OR = 1.162, P = 0.021), higher number of oocytes retrieved (OR = 1.234, P = 0.023), and better embryo quality (Grade I-II) (OR = 1.485, P = 0.002). No significant differences were observed between age-related subgroups (P>0.05), but success rates decreased with increasing age, highlighting age as a key factor influencing IVF/ICSI outcomes.ConclusionThe study found no significant differences in primary clinical outcomes between the two groups. However, younger age, higher AFC, higher AMH levels, greater endometrial thickness, higher number of oocytes retrieved, and better embryo quality were significant predictors of clinical pregnancy.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1526895/fullovarian stimulation protocolsclinical pregnancyGnRH agonistGnRH antagonistIVF/ICSI outcomesnormal ovarian reserve
spellingShingle Ying Tian
Jing Hao
Xueliang Tu
Shaobin Feng
Mingtao Li
Yang Chen
Zelei Cao
Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
Frontiers in Endocrinology
ovarian stimulation protocols
clinical pregnancy
GnRH agonist
GnRH antagonist
IVF/ICSI outcomes
normal ovarian reserve
title Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
title_full Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
title_fullStr Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
title_short Comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function: a prospective cohort study
title_sort comparison of clinical outcomes between flexible antagonist protocol and long luteal phase protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve function a prospective cohort study
topic ovarian stimulation protocols
clinical pregnancy
GnRH agonist
GnRH antagonist
IVF/ICSI outcomes
normal ovarian reserve
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1526895/full
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