We studied 98 in-vitro fertilization (IVF) patients with a high basal follicle stimulating hormone (FSH; >6.5 IU/l) concentration on day 3 who were treated with a low dose gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) protocol and who had received in the previous 6 months a long protocol with GnRHa in a depot formula. The evaluation was made using the previous IVF cycle of the same patient as a control. The mean +/- SD age of the patients was 34.1+/-4.2 years. The use of a low dose agonist protocol ended with significantly less ampoules (37.5 versus 46.1), a shorter duration of stimulation (10.7 versus 12.3 days), a higher oestradiol concentration on day 8 (1068 versus 495 pg/ml), a higher number of mature oocytes (5.9 versus 4.4) and a higher number of good quality embryos (3.3 versus 2.3). The cancellation rate was lower (11 versus 24%). A GnRHa low dose protocol may be the protocol of choice for patients with high FSH concentrations on day 3. Larger randomized studies are needed to confirm these data.

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Embryo cryopreservation is routinely used in in-vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer programmes. Yet very few studies have reported the follow-up of children conceived with frozen/thawed embryos. This study was designed to follow up the total cohort of children conceived with cryopreserved embryos in A. Béclère Hospital in Clamart, France between 1986 and 1994. We were able to study 89 children, aged 1-9 years old, out of the 93 conceived during this period (lost to follow-up: 4.3%). The prematurity rate was 14.7% for the singleton and 85.7% for the twins. Half of these premature deliveries occurred during the 36th week of amenorrhea. In all, 8% of the singleton and 28.6% of the twins were small for gestational age. At the time of the study, only three children aged 1 and 2 years old were below the 10th percentile. The total malformation rate was 3.4% when two abortions performed during the study period were added to the one (short ureter) found in our study group. The medical and surgical illness as well as principal acquisitions for children <5 years old and scholastic performance for older children did not show pathological features.