Understanding the burden of ovarian stimulation: fertility expert and patient perceptions.

This multinational, interview-based study was conducted to provide insights into participants' experiences, behaviour, attitudes and emotions towards fertility treatments. One study group comprised 185 patients who were undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF while the other comprised 170 physician and nurse fertility experts. A key study objective was to identify which aspects of ovarian-stimulation treatment contribute to the physical and psychological burden on patients.

Improving clinical understanding of the effect of ovarian stimulation on women's lives.

A conceptual model was developed of the impact of ovarian stimulation on women's functioning and wellbeing. A patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure was generated based on this model. Qualitative measures used comprised a discussion guide and coding system devised according to the Food and Drug Administration guidelines for developing PRO measures.

The combined contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing): first experience in daily clinical practice in The Netherlands.

Objectives: The combined contraceptive vaginal ring (NuvaRing) has been shown to be safe and effective, with high levels of user compliance, acceptance and satisfaction. However, the data collected from registration studies may differ from the clinical situation. The Dutch NuvaRing Experience Project was initiated to gain insight into NuvaRing use in daily clinical practice.

Follitropin-beta administered by pen device has superior local tolerance compared with follitropin-alpha administered by conventional syringe.

A receiver- and assessor-blind, randomized, single-centre, crossover study was performed in 60 healthy women volunteers, to compare the local tolerance of two recombinant FSH preparations administered by a pen device (delivering 150 IU follitropin-beta) or by conventional syringe (delivering 150 IU follitropin-alpha). Volunteers were randomized to one of two treatment sequences: pen device followed by conventional syringe, or the reverse. Each preparation was injected once, subcutaneously in the umbilical region and local tolerance reactions were assessed within 5 min, at 1 and 24 h after each administration.

A group-comparative, randomized, double-blind comparison of the efficacy and efficiency of two fixed daily dose regimens (100- and 200-IU) of recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH, Puregon) in Asian women undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy, efficacy and safety of a fixed daily dose of recombinant FSH (Puregon) of a 100- and 200-IU regimen in Asian women undergoing ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI.

Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicenter (n = 9) study. Prior to the start of rFSH, all women were pretreated with a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) for pituitary downregulation.

A prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing 150 IU recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (Puregon((R))) and 225 IU highly purified urinary follicle stimulating hormone (Metrodin-HP((R))) in a fixed-dose regimen in women undergoing ovarian stimulation.

A prospective, randomized, open, multicentre (n = 3) study was conducted to compare the efficacy and efficiency of a fixed daily dose of 150 IU (3x50 IU) recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (recFSH, Puregon((R))) and 225 IU (3x75 IU) highly purified urinary FSH (uFSH-HP, Metrodin-HP((R))) in women undergoing ovarian stimulation prior to in-vitro fertilization treatment. A total of 165 women were treated with FSH, 83 subjects with recFSH and 82 subjects with uFSH-HP. In the recFSH group a mean number of 8.

Cryopreservation: the practicalities of evaluation.

An attempt was made to integrate data from cryopreserved embryos with those from fresh embryos to obtain a realistic assessment of the role of cryopreservation in assisted reproductive treatment. Principles were applied to previously published data from a large prospective randomized multicentre study comprising recombinant and urinary follicle stimulating hormone in in-vitro fertilization.