Prolonged oral GnRH-antagonist administration before euploid embryo transfer in patients with endometriosis: a prospective randomized pilot non-inferiority trial.
Surrey. Eric S ES; Katz-Jaffe. Mandy M; Kondapalli. Laxmi A LA; Schoolcraft. William B WB; Makloski. Rachel R
Key Findings
- Oral elagolix (200 mg twice daily) for 56 days gave pregnancy test positivity of 86.7% versus 93.3% for injectable leuprolide.
- Live‑birth rates were 87% with the pill and 80% with the injection, showing no significant difference.
- Endometrial thickness before transfer was comparable between the two groups (≈10.5 mm).
Practical Outcomes
- For women with endometriosis undergoing euploid embryo transfer, a two‑month course of oral GnRH antagonist works just as well as the traditional injectable GnRH agonist, offering a more convenient, needle‑free option. This finding is mainly relevant to fertility patients rather than general longevity or performance biohacking.
Summary
A small study compared a daily pill (elagolix) taken for two months to a monthly injection (leuprolide) in women with endometriosis who were getting a genetically screened embryo transferred. The pregnancy and live‑birth rates were about the same for both groups, and the lining of the uterus was similar.
Abstract
Is oral administration of a gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist for 2 months before euploid embryo transfer in patients with endometriosis non-inferior to intramuscular administration of a long-acting GnRH agonist for a similar period? Prospective randomized non-inferiority pilot trial of infertility patients with surgically diagnosed endometriosis. Thirty patients were randomized to receive either oral elagolix 200 mg twice daily for 56 days (group 1; n = 15) or an intramuscular depot preparation of leuprolide acetate 3.75 every 28 days (group 2; n = 15) before euploid embryo transfer. No differences were found in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Nor were any differences found between the two groups in maximal endometrial thickness before embryo transfer (10.9 ± 2.8 mm versus 10.3 ± 2.0 mm; P = 0.54). Despite a trend towards transfer of a higher percentage of day-5 euploid blastocysts in group 2 (53% versus 80%), no differences were found in positive pregnancy tests (86.7% versus 93.3%; P = 0.54) or live birth rates between the groups (87% versus 80%; P = 0.62). Administration of the oral GnRH antagonist elagolix in appropriate doses for 2 months in women with endometriosis before euploid embryo transfer yields highly encouraging outcomes that are equivalent to those achieved with parenteral administration of a GnRH agonist, which could make this a more desired approach in these patients.
Study Information
pubmed
2025
2025-07-11T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.rbmo.2025.105125