SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2017
Oral contraceptive pill, progestogen or oestrogen pretreatment for ovarian stimulation protocols for women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 140 citations in OpenAlex.
- ESHRE guideline: ovarian stimulation for IVF/ICSI: an update in 2025†.Human reproduction (Oxford, England) · 2026Guideline
- Effect of pre-treatment with oral short-acting contraceptives on assisted reproductive technology outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- Live birth rate of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist versus luteal phase gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist protocol in IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Expert reviews in molecular medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Interventions to prevent or reduce the incidence and severity of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: a systematic umbrella review of the best clinical evidence.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2023Pooled it
- Assisted reproductive technology: an overview of Cochrane Reviews.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Evaluation of GnRH antagonist pretreatment before ovarian stimulation in a GnRH antagonist protocol in normal ovulatory women undergoing IVF/ICSI: a randomized controlled trial.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2021Trial
- Progestin-only pretreatment enhances follicular synchronization and embryo development: a three-arm retrospective cohort study in GnRH antagonist cycles.Contraception and reproductive medicine · 2025Article
- Influence of combined oral contraceptive pill before PPOS protocol on egg donors and recipients' outcomes: an international multicenter retrospective study.Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2025Article
- Pretreatment with oral contraceptives benefit POSEIDON group 1 low prognosis patients during GnRH-antagonist protocol: a propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study.Journal of ovarian research · 2025Article
- Management of LH/FSH deficiency among assisted reproduction specialists in Spain: a Delphi consensus.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Article
- Previous Use of Combined Oral Contraception in High Complexity Assisted Reproduction Treatments in Protocol with Oral Progestin - Previous use of COC and ART.JBRA assisted reproduction · 2024Article
- High androgen level during controlled ovarian stimulation cycle impairs endometrial receptivity in PCOS patients.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Value of estrogen pretreatment in patients with diminished ovarian reserve and elevated FSH on a line antagonist regimen: a retrospective controlled study.Journal of ovarian research · 2024Article
- Impact of GnRH antagonist pretreatment on oocyte yield after ovarian stimulation: A retrospective analysis.PloS one · 2024Article
- IVF/ICSI Outcomes After a Freeze-All Strategy: an Observational Cohort Study.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2023Observational
- Follicular phase cycle programming using estradiol in oocyte donors-a convenient and effective approach.F&S reports · 2022Article
- Estradiol pretreatment in GnRH antagonist protocol for IVF/ICSI treatment.Open medicine (Warsaw, Poland) · 2022Article
- A Novel Nomogram for Individualized Gonadotropin Starting Dose in GnRH Antagonist Protocol.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2021Article
- Clinical Use of Progestins and Their Mechanisms of Action: Present and Future (Review).Sovremennye tekhnologii v meditsine · 2021Review
- Optimal Candidates to Do Fresh Embryo Transfer in Those Using Oral Contraceptive Pretreatment in IVF Cycles.Frontiers in physiology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
- Update of
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAmong subfertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART), hormone pills given before ovarian stimulation may improve outcomes.
objectivesTo determine whether pretreatment with the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) or with a progestogen or oestrogen alone in ovarian stimulation protocols affects outcomes in subfertile couples undergoing ART. SEARCH
methodsWe searched the following databases from inception to January 2017: Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Specialised Register, The Cochrane Central Register Studies Online, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO. We also searched the reference lists of relevant articles and registers of ongoing trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of hormonal pretreatment in women undergoing ART. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures recommended by Cochrane. The primary review outcomes were live birth or ongoing pregnancy and pregnancy loss. MAIN
resultsWe included 29 RCTs (4701 women) of pretreatment with COCPs, progestogens or oestrogens versus no pretreatment or alternative pretreatments, in gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist or antagonist cycles. Overall, evidence quality ranged from very low to moderate. The main limitations were risk of bias and imprecision. Most studies did not describe their methods in adequate detail. Combined oral contraceptive pill versus no pretreatmentWith antagonist cycles in both groups the rate of live birth or ongoing pregnancy was lower in the pretreatment group (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.95; 6 RCTs; 1335 women; I AUTHORS'
conclusionsAmong women undergoing ovarian stimulation in antagonist protocols, COCP pretreatment was associated with a lower rate of live birth or ongoing pregnancy than no pretreatment. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether rates of live birth or ongoing pregnancy were influenced by pretreatment with progestogens or oestrogens, or by COCP pretreatment using other stimulation protocols. Findings on adverse events were inconclusive, except that progesterone pretreatment may reduce the risk of ovarian cysts in agonist cycles, and COCP in antagonist cycles may reduce the risk of pregnancy loss compared with no pretreatment in agonist cycles.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.