Researchers have successfully used a new and potentially safer
method to stimulate ovulation in women undergoing IVF
treatment.
Twelve babies have been born after their mothers were given an
injection of the natural hormone kisspeptin to make their eggs
mature.
Doctors normally administer another hormone, hCG, for this
purpose, but in some women, there is a risk that this can
overstimulate the ovaries, with potentially life-threatening
consequences.
Scientists at Imperial College London and clinicians at Imperial
College Healthcare NHS Trust tested the new method in 53 healthy
volunteers at Hammersmith Hospital in London.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) affects around a third
of IVF patients in a mild form, causing symptoms such as nausea and
vomiting. Less than 10 per cent of patients experience moderate or
severe OHSS, which can cause kidney failure.
Professor Waljit Dhillo, from Imperial College London, who led
the study, said: "OHSS is a major medical problem. It can be fatal
in severe cases and it occurs in women undergoing IVF treatment who
are otherwise very healthy. We really need more effective natural
triggers for egg maturation during IVF treatment, and the results
of this trial are very promising."
Kisspeptin is a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates the
release of other reproductive hormones inside the body. Unlike hCG,
which remains in the blood for a long time after an injection,
kisspeptin is broken down more quickly, meaning the risk of
overstimulation is lower.
The women in the study had a single injection of kisspeptin to
induce ovulation. Mature eggs developed in 51 out of 53
participants. Forty-nine women had one or two fertilised embryos
transferred to the uterus, and 12 became pregnant, which is a good
outcome compared to standard conventional IVF therapy.
The researchers will now carry out a second study in women with
polycystic ovary syndrome, who have the highest risk of OHSS.
"Our study has shown that kisspeptin can be used as a
physiological trigger for egg maturation in IVF therapy," said
Professor Dhillo. "It's been a joy to see 12 healthy babies born
using this approach. We will now be doing more studies to test
whether kisspeptin reduces the risk of OHSS in women who are most
prone to developing it, with a view to improving the safety of IVF
therapy."
The paper, Kisspeptin-54
triggers egg maturation in women undergoing in vitro
fertilisation, is published in the Journal of Clinical
Investigation.