Effects of oral contraceptives on ovulation induction in <i>in vitro</i> fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency

<b>Objective:</b> To report a case series of <i>in vitro</i> fertilization patients with premature ovarian insufficiency, who were treated with oral contraceptives to reduce follicle stimulating hormone levels. <b>Method:</b> This was a consecutive case series in a tertiary teaching hospital in China. Twenty-two women with refractory and idiopathic premature ovarian insufficiency were administered a drospirenone/ethinylestradiol oral contraceptive orally. The main outcome measures were the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of embryos frozen. <b>Results:</b> There were total 106 oral contraceptive treatment cycles and 53 oocyte retrieval cycles in 20 patients (91%, 20/22; 2.4 cycles per woman, 53/22). The total number of oocytes retrieved was 48 in 17 patients (77%, 17/22; 2.2 oocytes per woman, 48/22), and the total number of embryos frozen was 33 in 16 patients (73%, 16/22; 1.5 embryos per woman, 33/22). <b>Conclusion:</b> Oral contraception may be an effective method to induce ovulation for some patients with premature ovarian insufficiency.**研究目标：** 本研究旨在报告一组早发性卵巢功能不全（premature ovarian insufficiency, POI）体外受精（in vitro fertilization, IVF）患者的病例系列，该类患者接受口服避孕药治疗以降低卵泡刺激素（follicle stimulating hormone, FSH）水平。**研究方法：** 本研究为一项在中国某三级教学医院开展的连续性病例系列研究。共纳入22名难治性特发性早发性卵巢功能不全患者，给予其口服屈螺酮/炔雌醇（drospirenone/ethinylestradiol）复方口服避孕药进行治疗。本研究的主要结局指标为获卵数与冷冻胚胎数。**研究结果：** 20名患者（占比91%，20/22；人均2.4个周期，53/22）共计完成106个口服避孕药治疗周期与53个取卵周期。17名患者（占比77%，17/22；人均获卵2.2枚，48/22）共计获得48枚卵子；16名患者（占比73%，16/22；人均冷冻胚胎1.5枚，33/22）共计冷冻33枚胚胎。**研究结论：** 口服避孕药或许可作为部分早发性卵巢功能不全患者诱导排卵的有效手段。