Gong Y, Zhang K, Verwoerd G, et al. - Via performing a prospectively randomized trial, researchers aimed at determining how different growth hormone (GH) treatment protocols affect steroid hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) levels in follicle fluid (FF), hormone receptors in granulosa cells (GCs), and in vitro fertilization and embryo-transfer outcomes in poor ovarian responders. They randomly assigned 230 poor ovarian responders to 3 groups: group A, GH pretreatment (4 IU/d) from day 2 of the previous menstrual cycle until the trigger day; group B, GH treatment (4 IU/d) from day 2 of the menstrual cycle until the trigger day; group C, without GH treatment. Group A had significantly increased live birth rate per treatment cycle started (27.03% vs 11.43% vs 5.33%) and per patient randomized (25.97% vs 10.81% vs 5.06%) compared with groups B and C. Findings overall suggest that GH led to an improvement in the levels of IGF-1 and steroid hormones in FF and hormone receptors in GCs, with an obvious uptrend in the long-course therapy protocol. Poor ovarian responders receiving GH pretreatment from the previous menstrual cycle showed an improvement in in vitro fertilization outcomes.