Skip to content

Effect of Fasting on ICSI Outcomes in Poor Responders

Effect of Fasting on ICSI Outcomes in Poor Responders

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03714009
Enrollment
360
Registered
2018-10-22
Start date
2018-10-31
Completion date
2019-09-01
Last updated
2020-09-09

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Infertility

Keywords

Infertility, Poor ovarian reserve, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, fasting

Brief summary

This study is a prospective, randomized controlled trial conducted at the In Vitro Fertilization ( IVF) center of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Kasr El-Ainy Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt, from October 2018 to September 2019, to determine the clinical effect of fasting on ICSI outcomes in poor responders 360 participants will be randomized withdrawing closed envelopes for each patient into group A and group B . Group (A): patients will have periodic fasting for 4 weeks prior to the treatment cycle. The fasting method involves daily fasts of 14-16hours and restrict eating to an 8-10 hour eating window as 2-3 or more meals of balanced diet. Group (B): no fasting, patients will have usual balanced diet as 3 meals and 2 snacks all over the day. Both groups should take adequate water and non calorie beverages intake daily (2-3 liters). All patients will start the ICSI cycle using the same treatment protocol. Primary outcome is clinical pregnancy rate per cycle. Secondary outcomes include Body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio (WHR), fasting insulin , fasting plasma glucose, Homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index, lipid profile ( Triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol, High density Lipoprotein (HDL), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL), AntiMullerian Hormone (AMH), Basal Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estradiol (E2, Days of stimulation , dose of gonadotrophins, number of M II oocytes retrieved, number of grade1and 2 embryos, number of frozen embryos, freeze all cycles, Ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), Chemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy, twins, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, preterm labour, live birth rate

Detailed description

This study is a prospective, single-blinded (to the outcomes assessor), randomized controlled trial conducted at the In Vitro Fertilization ( IVF) center of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Kasr El-Ainy Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt, from October 2018 to September 2019, to determine the clinical effect of fasting on ICSI outcomes in poor responder patients. Ethical committee approval was obtained. The study will include 360 infertile patients with poor ovarian reserve (POR )diagnosed by low Antral follicle count (AFC)( less than 5 follicles), Elevated basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (more than 10 IU/mL) and low anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)(less than 1.5 ng/ml), previous POR (≤three oocytes with a conventional stimulation protocol). Women with diabetes, thyroid disorder or other endocrine dysfunctions, uterine abnormalities were excluded.Also severe oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia or azospermia are excluded. All patients are informed about the study and consent is given by those who accept to participate. Careful history taking include infertility type, duration , cause, obstetric history, medical and surgical history and demographic distribution is taken. Full physical examination and 2 dimensional (2D) transvaginal sonography (TVS) are done on day 2 to 5 of menses to assess antral follicle count, uterus and adnexa . Body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio (WHR) are calculated, Blood samples are taken for fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile ( Triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol, High density Lipoprotein (HDL), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL),AntiMullerian Hormone (AMH), Basal Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estradiol (E2) All 360 participants will be randomized withdrawing closed envelopes for each patient into group A and group B . Group (A): patients will have periodic fasting for 4 weeks prior to the treatment cycle. The fasting method involves daily fasts of 14-16hours and restrict eating to an 8-10 hour eating window as 2-3 or more meals of balanced diet. Group (B): no fasting, patients will have usual balanced diet as 3 meals and 2 snacks all over the day. Both groups should take adequate water and non calorie beverages intake daily (2-3 liters) Subjects are instructed to wait for spontaneous menses. The next visit is scheduled on day 2 of next cycle when transvaginal ultrasound is done to confirm that endometrial thickness \<5mm, no ovarian cyst by ultrasound. Body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio (WHR) are calculated. Blood samples are taken for fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile ( Triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol, High density Lipoprotein (HDL), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL), AntiMullerian Hormone (AMH), Basal Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estradiol (E2),and then antagonist protocol is followed. Gonadotropins as Intramuscular (I.M.) injections of 150-300 (International units) I.U. of highly purified Human Menopausal Gonadotropins daily (Merional, 75 I.U. /vial, IBSA). and Urofollitropin or highly purified human follicle stimulating hormone(Fostimon®, 75 I.U. /vial, IBSA) are give in a ratio of 1:1.The dose is adjusted according to the age, BMI, Antral follicle count (AFC), serum levels of AMH, FSH and ovarian response. On the sixth day of stimulation , a visit is scheduled to assess the ovarian response ( folliculometry) by TVS. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH antagonist) which is Cetrorelix 0.25mg ( Cetrotide®, 0.25 mg/ vial, Merck Serono, is filled and mixed with diluent from a prefilled syringe with a 20 gauge needle) is given subcutaneously (S.C.) by 27-gauge needle starting from the 6th day of stimulation (fixed antagonist protocol). Next visits are every other day for follow up using the TVS. The trigger by Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (HCG)10000 I.U., I.M. ( Pregnyl, Organon) is given when at least 3 follicles reach 18mm in mean diameter or more and E2 level is less than 2500 pg/ml. Ovum retrieval is done 34 hours after HCG injection and embryo transfer using Wallace catheter on day 2 to 3. Luteal support includes natural Progesterone 400 mg 1x2 as rectal suppository, Folic acid 0.5 mg orally once daily, Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid 1gm 1x2x7 orally, Progesterone 100 I.M. injections daily for 10 days, Acetylsalicylic Acid (75 mg) orally once daily Quantitative ß- HCG in serum after is done after 14 days of embryo transfer.TVS is performed to detect clinical pregnancy at 6-7 weeks of gestation. Primary outcome is clinical pregnancy rate per cycle. Secondary outcomes include Body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio (WHR), fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile ( Triglycerides (TGs), total cholesterol, High density Lipoprotein (HDL), Low density Lipoprotein (LDL), AntiMullerian Hormone (AMH), Basal Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Estradiol (E2, Days of stimulation , dose of gonadotrophins, number of M II oocytes retrieved, number of grade1and 2 embryos, number of frozen embryos, freeze all cycles, Ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), Chemical pregnancy rate, clinical pregnancy, twins, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, preterm labour, live birth rate

Interventions

BEHAVIORALFasting

Periodic fasting last for 4weeks prior to the treatment cycle. The fasting method involves daily fasts of 14-16hours and restrict eating to an 8-10 hour eating window as 2-3 or more meals of balanced diet. Patients should take adequate water and non calorie beverages intake daily (2-3 liters).

BEHAVIORALNo fasting

Patients will not fast . But they will take balanced food and drink 2 to 3 liters of water and non caloric drinks all the day for 4 weeks

Sponsors

Kasr El Aini Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

The study will include: infertile patients with poor ovarian reserve (POR )diagnosed by low Antral follicle count (AFC)( less than 5 follicles), Elevated basal follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (more than 10 IU/mL) and low anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH)(less than 1.5 ng/ml), previous POR (≤three oocytes with a conventional stimulation protocol). Women with diabetes, thyroid disorder or other endocrine dysfunctions, uterine abnormalities were excluded.Also severe oligo-astheno-teratozoospermia or azospermia are excluded.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
clinical pregnancy rate per cycle10 weeksdetection of gestationalsac, embryonal pole and fetal pulsations by ultrasonography

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Waist/Hip ratio4 weeks of fastingThe ratio of waist circumference in centimeters to the hip circumference in centimeters
Number of days of stimulation with gonadotrophins6 weeksDays of stimulation with gonadotrophins
Number of ampoules of gonadotrophins6 weekstotal number of ampoules of gonadotrophins
number of M II oocytes retrieved6 weeksnumber of M II oocytes retrieved
number of grade1and 2 embryos6-7 weeksnumber of grade1and 2 embryos
number of frozen embryos6-7 weeksnumber of frozen embryos
number of freeze all cycles6 weekstotal number of freeze all cycles
Body mass index4 weeks of fastingThe weight in kilograms divided by the squared height in meters
Rate of chemical pregnancy rate10 weeksnumber of cases with positive pregnancy test with no clinical pregnancy
Rate of twin pregnancy10 weekspresence of two gestational sacs detected by ultrasonography
Rate of abortion per cycle10-24 weeks after embryo transfernumber of abortions clinically detected per cycle
Rate of ectopic pregnancy10 weeksthe presence of gestational sac outside the uterine cavity detected by ultrasound
Rate of preterm labourAfter 24 weeks of start of studylabour after 20 weeks of gestation and before completed 37 weeks of gestation
live birth rateAfter40 weeks of start of studylive birth rate
number of cancelled cycles6 weekstotal number of cancelled cycles

Countries

Egypt

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026