Fertility preservation cycles: Comparing GnRH agonist and dual triggering effects on oocyte retrieval and maturation rates
Abstract
Background In GnRH antagonist IVF cycles, final oocyte maturation can be triggered using either a GnRH agonist or dual triggering. While GnRH agonist triggering reduces the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and is commonly used in fertility preservation cycles, concerns remain regarding its potential impact on the number of oocytes retrieved and maturation rates. Objective To study whether the number of oocytes retrieved, and maturation rates are affected by triggering type in GnRH antagonist cycles for fertility preservation. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods This retrospective study included 325 fertility preservation cycles at our IVF unit between the years 2020-2024. All fertility preservation of oocytes and embryos were included. The primary outcome was the association between the type of ovulation triggering and the number of oocytes retrieved. Secondary outcomes were associations with maturation rates. Results Mean age of patients (33.9±4.6, 34.4±3.4, p=0.41) and basal FSH levels (7.6±2.8, 9.5±5.0; p<0.001) were lower in the GnRH agonist triggering group compared to the dual triggering group, respectively. The number of oocytes retrieved was higher in the GnRH agonist group (15.2±8.7, 8.9±6.6, p<0.001) compared to the dual triggering group, yet in a multivariate model this correlation was not significant. Maturation rates did not differ between the two triggering groups (p=0.69, p=0.61). In a multivariable regression analysis, within the dual trigger group, higher basal LH was found to be associated with a lower number of mature oocytes retrieved (p=0.017). Conclusion After adjustment for measured baseline and stimulation characteristics, trigger type was not independently associated with the number of oocytes retrieved or oocyte maturation rates in fertility preservation cycles. These findings should be interpreted with caution given the retrospective study design and potential residual confounding. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
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BibTeX
@article{nahshon2026fertility,
title = {{Fertility preservation cycles: Comparing GnRH agonist and dual triggering effects on oocyte retrieval and maturation rates}},
author = {Chen Nahshon MD and Efrat Yanai MD and Wisam Assaf MD and Nir Kugelman MD and Nadav Cohen and Sivan Skvirsky MD and Shirly Lahav-Baratz PhD and Idit Blais MSc and Galia Oron MD},
journal = {Women's Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1177/17455057261484065},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261484065},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Fertility preservation cycles: Comparing GnRH agonist and dual triggering effects on oocyte retrieval and maturation rates
AU - Chen Nahshon MD
AU - Efrat Yanai MD
AU - Wisam Assaf MD
AU - Nir Kugelman MD
AU - Nadav Cohen
AU - Sivan Skvirsky MD
AU - Shirly Lahav-Baratz PhD
AU - Idit Blais MSc
AU - Galia Oron MD
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/24
JO - Women's Health
DO - 10.1177/17455057261484065
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261484065
AB - Background In GnRH antagonist IVF cycles, final oocyte maturation can be triggered using either a GnRH agonist or dual triggering. While GnRH agonist triggering reduces the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and is commonly used in fertility preservation cycles, concerns remain regarding its potential impact on the number of oocytes retrieved and maturation rates. Objective To study whether the number of oocytes retrieved, and maturation rates are affected by triggering type in GnRH antagonist cycles for fertility preservation. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods This retrospective study included 325 fertility preservation cycles at our IVF unit between the years 2020-2024. All fertility preservation of oocytes and embryos were included. The primary outcome was the association between the type of ovulation triggering and the number of oocytes retrieved. Secondary outcomes were associations with maturation rates. Results Mean age of patients (33.9±4.6, 34.4±3.4, p=0.41) and basal FSH levels (7.6±2.8, 9.5±5.0; p<0.001) were lower in the GnRH agonist triggering group compared to the dual triggering group, respectively. The number of oocytes retrieved was higher in the GnRH agonist group (15.2±8.7, 8.9±6.6, p<0.001) compared to the dual triggering group, yet in a multivariate model this correlation was not significant. Maturation rates did not differ between the two triggering groups (p=0.69, p=0.61). In a multivariable regression analysis, within the dual trigger group, higher basal LH was found to be associated with a lower number of mature oocytes retrieved (p=0.017). Conclusion After adjustment for measured baseline and stimulation characteristics, trigger type was not independently associated with the number of oocytes retrieved or oocyte maturation rates in fertility preservation cycles. These findings should be interpreted with caution given the retrospective study design and potential residual confounding. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
SN - 1745-5065
ER -