An Open Labeled RCT on the Effect of Additional hCG Injection for LPS on Pregnancy Outcomes in IHH Patients

Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is a congenital disease caused by a variety of gene variants leading to dysfunction in the secretion of hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRHs), with a prevalence of 1:125 000 in females. Girls with IHH often suffer from lack of puberty onset, amenorrhea and infertility, complicated with psychological problems such as depression and anxiety, due to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Luteal phase deficiency (LPD) accounts for most failures of assistant artificial reproduction (ART) and early pregnancy loss for IHH patients. We have reported a severe LPD during the early trimester in a case with secondary HH following craniopharyngioma resection and speculated similar LPD happen in IHH patients complicated with low clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate. Therefore, luteal phase support (LPS) is one of the indispensable interventions in ART treatments for IHH patients, which includes progestin, estrogen, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and GnRH agonists (GnRHa). We aim to verify additional hCG injection 48 hours following routine hCG trigger and ovulation for LPS on the basis of supplementation of estrogen and dydrogesterone could improve clinical pregnancy rate, cumulative pregnancy rate, live birth rate and the prevalence of early pregnancy loss and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) by an open labeled, prospective, and randomized clinical trial (RCT) in IHH patients in a single center of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University. The onset of patients' mental and psychological diseases such as depression and anxiety rely on their reproductive needs and pregnancy outcomes, which will also be investigated in the current study. Moreover, the effect of clinical interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes and emotional disorders would be discussed.

Inclusion criteria

• Clinical diagnosis of IHH (primary amenorrhea (with or without a history of hormone supplementation therapy); basic LH levels <5IU/L, FSH<5IU/L or normal; no organic lesions in the hypothalamus and pituitary MRI).
• Women of childbearing age who desire to get pregnant

Exclusion criteria

• Premature ovarian insufficiency or premature ovarian failure
• Primary amenorrhea due to hypothalamic/pituitary lesions
• Secondary amenorrhea