Clinical efficacy and mechanism of growth hormone action in patients experiencing repeat implantation failure

Objectives: To investigate the clinical efficacy of growth hormone (GH) in patients experiencing repeat implantation failure (RIF) and explore the possible mechanism. Methods: Forty-two RIF patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were enrolled in the present trial: 22 patients who received GH (treatment group) and 20 who did not receive GH (controls). Results: The clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). The treatment group expressed significantly higher levels of growth hormone receptors (GHR) mRNA than the control group (P<0.05). Further analysis showed that GH levels in follicular fluid were positively correlated with the expression levels of mRNA encoding GHR in granulosa cells (r=0.460, P<0.05). Conclusion: GH treatment enhanced in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancy outcomes and increased the expression of GHR in granulosa cells in fluid. GH levels in follicular fluid were posit...