ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06239376FET-ADEUpdated Jul 1, 2026

Artificial Cycle With or Without GnRH Agonist Pre-treatment for Frozen Embryo Transfer in Adenomyosis Patients

An interventional study of GnRHa+AI - AC and Artificial cycle in Adenomyosis, IVF and Frozen Embryo Transfer, sponsored by Mỹ Đức Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Vietnam. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 42 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-01.

Sponsored by Mỹ Đức Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Feb 2024; still recruiting 2 years 8 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
222
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 42 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

This randomized clinical trial aims to assess the comparative effectiveness of two distinct endometrial preparation protocols for frozen embryo transfer (FET) among women with adenomyosis undergoing IVF/ICSI. Specifically, it seeks to address the following key questions:

  1. Does the protocol involving the combination of GnRH agonist and letrozole for down regulation with exogenous steroids (GnRHa+AI - AC) result in a higher live birth rate compared to the use of exogenous steroids alone (AC) in women with adenomyosis undergoing frozen embryo transfer?
  2. What are the common side effects of the GnRHa+AI - AC regimen?

Eligible participants will undergo screening before endometrial preparation for FET, following which they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: GnRHa+AI - AC or AC. In the GnRHa+AI - AC group, participants will be pre-treated with GnRH agonist and letrozole two months before endometrial preparation. After this period, participants will return for endometrial preparation, and any side effects resulting from the down regulation will be evaluated. In contrast, the AC group will receive standard treatment.

Read the detailed description
  • Adenomyosis is a benign gynecological disease in which the endometrial stroma invades the uterine myometrium. Adenomyosis affects approximately 10% of women of reproductive age. There are several hypothetical mechanisms in adenomyosis-associated infertility, including dysregulations of the myometrial architecture and function, chronic inflammation, presence of local oxygen, and altered endometrial function, which can cause implantation failure. The abnormal presence of endometrial tissue composed of glands and stroma impacts uterine smooth muscle's regular contractile function and peristalsis, resulting in menometrorrhagia, infertility, and adverse obstetric consequences. There is currently no consensus on the optimal protocol for endometrial preparation in this population, and a lack of data on this issue. Current protocols include routine protocols with or without the pre-treatment of GnRH agonist. However, it is still controversial whether GnRH agonist down-regulation can help patients with adenomyosis have better reproductive outcomes. To our knowledge, there have not been any randomized controlled trials to investigate the effectiveness of the protocols used for endometrial preparation in women with adenomyosis undergoing frozen embryo transfer.
  • This will be a superiority-designed randomized clinical trial.
  • This trial will be conducted at My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Potentially eligible women will be provided information about the trial as long as their stimulation cycles are initiated.
  • Screening for eligibility will be performed by treating physicians on days 2nd - 4th of the menstrual cycle in the subsequent frozen embryo transfer cycles. Patients will be provided a copy of the informed consent documents. Written informed consent will be obtained from all women by the investigator before enrollment.
  • Women will be randomized (1:1) to either AC (artificial cycle) or GnRHa+AI - AC (Down-Regulation with GnRH agonist and Letrozole combined with artificial cycle) protocols using block randomization with a variable block size of 4, 6, using HOPE Epi with a computer-generated random list.
  • Artificial cycle (AC): the endometrium will be prepared using oral estradiol valerate (Valiera; Abbott) 6 mg/day starting from the second or fourth day of the menstrual cycle (5). The endometrial thickness will be monitored from the tenth day of estradiol-priming onwards, and vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®; Actavis) 400 mg twice times a day will be initiated when endometrial thickness reaches 7 mm or more and received oestradiol valerate for at least nine days.

Embryo transfer will be scheduled by the time of the initiation of progesterone and embryo stages. Hormonal support will consist of oral estradiol valerate 4 mg/day and vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®; Actavis) 400 mg twice times a day until the 7th week of gestation. Subsequently, progesterone alone (Cyclogest®; Actavis) at 400 mg twice times a day will be continued for luteal phase support until the 12th week of gestation.

- GnRH agonist + Letrozole - Artificial cycle protocol (GnRHa+AI - AC):

  • Pre-treatment with GnRH agonist: GnRHa (Triptorelin - Diphereline®, Ipsen, France) will be injected at a dose of 3.75 mg on days 2nd - 4th of menstruation. In addition to GnRHa administration duration, the patients will be indicated letrozole 2.5 mg daily (Femara®, Novartis, Switzerland) to prevent the estradiol flare-up effect from the day of GnRH agonist injection. Repeat the same regimen for the second time 28 days after the first injection of GnRH agonist.
  • After 55 days of Down Regulation with GnRH agonist, before starting the artificial cycle protocol for endometrial preparation, estradiol serum level will be tested before endometrial preparation.
  • Endometrial preparation with AC protocol will be started 28 days after the second injection of GnRH agonist, as described previously

Frozen embryo transfer:

A maximum of 2 cleavage-stage embryos or 1 blastocyst will be thawed on the day of embryo transfer, three or five days after the start of progesterone. Two hours after thawing, surviving embryos will be transferred into the uterus under ultrasound guidance using a soft uterine catheter (Gynétics®, Belgium).

- Future babies' health evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis will also be performed separately.

02

Conditions studied

  • Adenomyosis
  • IVF
  • Frozen Embryo Transfer

Browse trials for

03

In context

Adenomyosis

142 studies on the registry are indexed under Adenomyosis; 54 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 222 is above the median of 100 across 78 interventional studies indexed under Adenomyosis.

Browse Adenomyosis studies →

Lead sponsor

Mỹ Đức Hospital is the lead sponsor of 56 studies on the registry; 21 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 42 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Confirm diagnosis with adenomyosis by using transvaginal ultrasonography (MUSA consensus) and/or pelvic magnetic resonance imaging.
  • Age between 18 - 42
  • Undergo less or equal to three previous IVF cycles
  • Indicate for frozen embryo transfer
  • Agree to have not more than two day-3 embryo or one blastocyst (day-5 and day-6) transferred
  • Not participating in any other study

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Embryos from IVM cycle
  • Having uterine or adnexal abnormalities (e.g., intrauterine adhesions, unicornuate/ bicornuate/ arcuate uterus; unremoved hydrosalpinx, endometrial polyp, submucosal leiomyoma, or leiomyoma with endometrial cavity distortion)
  • Having for exogenous hormones administration: breast cancer, risks of venous thromboembolism
  • Embryos from the oocyte donation cycle.
  • Patients with a history of GnRH injection within three months, measured from the last GnRHa injection to the study screening date.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
222 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    GnRH agonist + Letrzole - Artificial Cycle

    Pre-treatment includes two doses of 3.75 mg GnRH agonist (Diphereline®, Ipsen, France) on days 2-4 of the menstrual cycle and 28 days later, along with daily 2.5 mg Letrozole (Femara®, Novartis, Switzerland) starting from the first agonist injection. Endometrial preparation in an artificial cycle begins 28 days after the second agonist injection. Patients will take 6 mg/day of oral estradiol valerate (Valiera; Abbott) at least 9 days before initiating progesterone. Endometrial thickness is monitored starting on the 10th day. When it reaches ≥7 mm, 400 mg twice times a day of vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®, Actavis, UK) is initiated. Embryo transfer aligns with progesterone initiation, taking the embryo's stage into account. Luteal phase support comprises oral estradiol valerate 4 mg/day and vaginal progesterone 400 mg twice times a day until the 7th week of gestational age (GA), followed by progesterone alone at 400 mg twice times a day up to the 12th week of GA.

    Procedure: GnRHa+AI - AC

  • Active comparator
    Artificial Cycle

    The endometrium will be prepared using oral estradiol valerate (Valiera; Abbott) 6 mg/day starting from the 2nd to the 4th day of the menstrual cycle. The endometrial thickness will be monitored from day 10th onwards, and vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®; Actavis) 400 mg twice times a day will be initiated when endometrial thickness reaches ≥7 mm. Estradiol exposure must last for at least 9 days before progesterone administration. Embryo transfer will be scheduled by the time of the initiation of progesterone and embryo stages. Luteal phase support comprises oral estradiol valerate 4 mg/day and vaginal progesterone 400 mg twice times a day until the 7th week of gestational age (GA), followed by progesterone alone at 400 mg twice times a day up to the 12th week of GA.

    Procedure: Artificial cycle

Interventions

  • ProcedureGnRHa+AI - AC

    Pre-treatment includes two doses of 3.75 mg GnRH agonist (Diphereline®, Ipsen, France) on days 2-4 of the menstrual cycle and 28 days later, along with daily 2.5 mg Letrozole (Femara®, Novartis, Switzerland) starting from the first agonist injection. Endometrial preparation in an artificial cycle begins 28 days after the second agonist injection. Patients take 6 mg/day of oral estradiol valerate (Valiera; Abbott) at least 9 days before progesterone. Endometrial thickness is monitored starting on the 10th day. When it reaches ≥7 mm, 400 mg twice times a day of vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®, Actavis, UK) is initiated. Embryo transfer aligns with progesterone initiation, taking the embryo's stage into account. Luteal phase support comprises oral estradiol valerate 4 mg/day and vaginal progesterone 400 mg twice times a day until the 7th week of gestational age (GA), followed by progesterone alone at 400 mg twice times a day up to the 12th week of GA.

    Also known as: DR-AC

  • ProcedureArtificial cycle

    The endometrium will be prepared using oral estradiol valerate (Valiera; Abbott) 6 mg/day starting from the 2nd to the 4th day of the menstrual cycle. The endometrial thickness will be monitored from day 10th onwards, and vaginal progesterone (Cyclogest®; Actavis) 400 mg twice times a day will be initiated when endometrial thickness reaches ≥7 mm. Estradiol exposure must last for at least 9 days before progesterone administration. Embryo transfer will be scheduled by the time of the initiation of progesterone and embryo stages. Luteal phase support comprises estradiol 4 mg/day and vaginal progesterone 400 mg twice times a day until the 7th week of gestational age (GA), followed by progesterone alone at 400 mg twice times a day up to the 12th week of GA.

    Also known as: AC

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Live birth rate after one frozen embryo transfer cycle

    Live birth is defined as the complete expulsion or extraction from a woman of a product of fertilization, after 22 completed weeks of gestational age; which, after such separation, breathes or shows any other evidence of life, such as heart beat, umbilical cord pulsation or definite movement of voluntary muscles, irrespective of whether the umbilical cord has been cut or the placenta is attached. A birth weight of 500 grams or more can be used if gestational age is unknown

    Time frame: At 22 weeks of gestation

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cancellation rate

    Cancellation due to: thin endometrium (thickness \<7mm after ≥21 days using oral estradiol valerate), endometrial cavity fluid, functional cyst (homogeneous anechoic cyst with d ≥14 mm present after 10 days using estradiol valerate), or has side effects(Cluster headache, mood swing, abnormal uterine bleeding, nausea, vomit, VTE, stroke)

    Time frame: At 3 weeks from the start of artificial cycle

  2. Hypoestrogenic side effects

    Side effects include hot flushes, bone loss, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, unpredictable mood changes, and headache.

    Time frame: At 8 weeks from the start of the first dose of 3.75 mg GnRH agonist

  3. Classification of adenomyosis

    The classification of adenomyosis under ultrasound scan according to MUSA criteria

    Time frame: during ultrasound procedure

  4. Differentiation of adenomyosis

    The differentiation of adenomyosis under ultrasound scan according to MUSA criteria

    Time frame: during ultrasound procedure

  5. Positive pregnancy test

    Serum ß-hCG ≥25mIU/mL

    Time frame: At 2 weeks after embryo placement

  6. Implantation rate

    Implantation rate is explained as the number of gestational sacs per number of embryos transferred.

    Time frame: At 3 weeks after embryo placement

  7. Clinical pregnancy

    diagnosed by ultrasonographic visualization of one or more gestational sacs or definitive clinical signs of pregnancy at 6 weeks or more after the onset of the last menstrual period. In addition to intra-uterine pregnancy, it includes a clinically documented ectopic pregnancy.

    Time frame: At 5 weeks after embryo placement

  8. Ectopic pregnancy

    A pregnancy outside the uterine cavity, diagnosed by ultrasound, surgical visualisation, or histopathology

    Time frame: At 7 weeks of gestation

  9. Ongoing pregnancy

    Having at least one gestational sac on ultrasound at 12 weeks' gestation with heart beat activity

    Time frame: At 10 weeks after embryo placement

  10. Miscarriage

    The spontaneous loss of an intra-uterine pregnancy before 22 completed weeks of gestational age

    Time frame: before 22 completed weeks of gestational age

  11. Venous thromboembolism relating to medication

    Venous thromboembolism is diagnosed after clinical examination, ultrasound scan and blood test

    Time frame: From the start of treatment up to 10 weeks of gestation

  12. Preterm delivery

    Multiple definitions, defined as delivery at \<24, \<28, \<32, \<37 completed weeks

    Time frame: At 22, 28, 32 weeks and 37 weeks of gestation

  13. Gestational diabetes mellitus

    GDM is diagnosed using a 75g oral glucose tolerance test

    Time frame: At 24 to 28 weeks of gestation

  14. Hypertension in pregnancy

    Pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia and HELLP syndrome

    Time frame: after 20 weeks of gestation or beyond

  15. Major congenital abnormalities

    Structural or functional disorders that occur during intra-uterine life and can be identified prenatally, at birth or later in life. Congenital anomalies can be caused by single gene defects, chromosomal disorders, multifactorial inheritance, environmental teratogens and micronutrient deficiencies. The time of identification should be reported. Any congenital anomaly will be included as followed definition of congenital abnormalities in Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies by Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, NCBDDD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020).

    Time frame: At birth

  16. Birth weight

    Weight of singletons and twins

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

  17. Low birth weight

    Weight \< 2500 gm at birth

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

  18. Very low birth weight

    Weight \< 1500 gm at birth

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

  19. High birth weight

    Weight 4000 gm or 4500 gm at birth

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

  20. Very high birth weight

    Weight over than 4.500 g for women with diabetes, and a threshold of 5000 g for women without diabetes

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

  21. Admission to NICU

    The admittance of the newborn to NICU

    Time frame: At birth

  22. Multiple pregnancy

    ≥2 gestational sac at early pregnancy ultrasound

    Time frame: At 6 to 8 weeks' gestation

  23. Multiple delivery

    Birth of more than one baby beyond 22 weeks

    Time frame: At 22 weeks' gestation

  24. Still birth

    The death of a fetus prior to the complete expulsion or extraction from its mother after 20 completed weeks of gestational age. The death is determined by the fact that, after such separation, the fetus does not breathe or show any other evidence of life, such as heartbeat, umbilical cord pulsation, or definite movement of voluntary muscles.

    Time frame: At 20 weeks' gestation

  25. Neonatal mortality

    Death of a live-born baby within 28 days of birth. This can be divided into early neonatal mortality, if death occurs in the first seven days after birth, and late neonatal if death occurs between eight and 28 days after delivery

    Time frame: within 28 days of birth

  26. Direct costs to live birth

    Total direct cost to have a live birth after embryo transfer. Direct cost include medical consultations, ovulation stimulation drugs, laboratory and embryology services, ultrasound scanning, medical procedures such as oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer, hospital charges, nursing and counselling services and administrative and overhead charges (Mark P. Connolly et al., 2010). Cost data will be collected for a supplementary analysis and will be reported in a separated paper.

    Time frame: At the time of delivery

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Zondervan KT, Becker CM, Missmer SA. Endometriosis. N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 26;382(13):1244-1256. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1810764. No abstract available. PubMed 32212520 ↗
  • Szubert M, Kozirog E, Olszak O, Krygier-Kurz K, Kazmierczak J, Wilczynski J. Adenomyosis and Infertility-Review of Medical and Surgical Approaches. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jan 30;18(3):1235. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18031235. PubMed 33573117 ↗
  • Antero MF, Ayhan A, Segars J, Shih IM. Pathology and Pathogenesis of Adenomyosis. Semin Reprod Med. 2020 May;38(2-03):108-118. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1718922. Epub 2020 Oct 20. PubMed 33080632 ↗
  • Mumusoglu S, Polat M, Ozbek IY, Bozdag G, Papanikolaou EG, Esteves SC, Humaidan P, Yarali H. Preparation of the Endometrium for Frozen Embryo Transfer: A Systematic Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Jul 9;12:688237. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.688237. eCollection 2021. PubMed 34305815 ↗
  • Zhang Y, Fu X, Gao S, Gao S, Gao S, Ma J, Chen ZJ. Preparation of the endometrium for frozen embryo transfer: an update on clinical practices. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2023 Jun 8;21(1):52. doi: 10.1186/s12958-023-01106-5. PubMed 37291605 ↗
  • Harmsen MJ, Van den Bosch T, de Leeuw RA, Dueholm M, Exacoustos C, Valentin L, Hehenkamp WJK, Groenman F, De Bruyn C, Rasmussen C, Lazzeri L, Jokubkiene L, Jurkovic D, Naftalin J, Tellum T, Bourne T, Timmerman D, Huirne JAF. Consensus on revised definitions of Morphological Uterus Sonographic Assessment (MUSA) features of adenomyosis: results of modified Delphi procedure. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Jul;60(1):118-131. doi: 10.1002/uog.24786. PubMed 34587658 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Started Feb 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Apr 2027, 37 months after the start.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Dec 18, 2023
First posted
Feb 2, 2024
StartActual
Feb 19, 2024
Primary completionEst.
Apr 15, 2027
CompletionEst.
May 30, 2027
Last update
Jul 1, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 1, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06239376
Lead sponsor
Mỹ Đức Hospital
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 2, 2024
Start date
Feb 19, 2024
Primary completion
Apr 15, 2027 (estimated)
Completion
May 30, 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 1, 2026

Study contacts

Tien K Le, MD
Contact
bstien.lk@myduchospital.vn
+84962803875
Vu NA Ho, MD
Contact
bsvu.hna@myduchospital.vn
+84935843336
Lan N Vuong, MD, PhD
principal investigator · University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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