Fig. 5

The bromocriptine-rebound (BR) method is the same as in the long protocol, except that bromocriptine is administered from the early follicular phase of the preceding cycle until 7 days before hMG administration (A). In the initial ART with the long protocol, serum PRL during hMG administration (B) and PRLr mRNA expression in granulosa cells (D) were higher in patients not achieving pregnancy. When ART was repeated with the BR method in the non-pregnant patients using the initial long protocol, serum PRL during hMG increased further (C), and PRLr mRNA expression in granulosa cells decreased (D). The BR method improved fertilization, embryo development, and the rates of pregnancy and delivery (E). Hypothesized mechanisms for the BR method in improving oocyte maturation (F). OPU, oocyte pick-up. Revised from Jinno et al., 1997 [97]