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GONAL-f is a potent gonadotrophic substance capable of causing mild to severe adverse reactions, and should only be used by physicians who are thoroughly familiar with infertility problems and their management.
Gonadotropin therapy requires a certain time commitment by physicians and supportive health professionals, as well as the availability of appropriate monitoring facilities. In women, safe and effective use of GONAL-f calls for monitoring of ovarian response with ultrasound, alone or preferably in combination with measurement of serum oestradiol levels, on a regular basis. There may be a degree of interpatient variability in response to FSH administration, with a poor response to FSH in some patients and exaggerated response in others. The lowest effective dose in relation to the treatment objective should be used.
Porphyria: Patients with porphyria or a family history of porphyria should be closely monitored during treatment with GONAL-f. Deterioration or a first appearance of this condition may require cessation of treatment.
Treatment in women: Before starting treatment, the couple's infertility should be assessed as appropriate and putative contraindications for pregnancy evaluated. In particular, patients should be evaluated for hypothyroidism, adrenocortical deficiency, hyper-prolactinemia and appropriate specific treatment given.
Patients undergoing stimulation of follicular growth, whether as treatment for anovulatory infertility or for ART procedures, may experience ovarian enlargement or develop hyperstimulation. Adherence to recommended GONAL-f dose and regimen of administration, and careful monitoring of therapy will minimise the incidence of such events. For accurate interpretation of the indices of follicle development and maturation, the physician should be experienced in the interpretation of the relevant tests.
In clinical trials, an increase of the ovarian sensitivity to GONAL-f was shown when administered with lutropin alfa. If an FSH dose increase is deemed appropriate, dose adaptation should preferably be at 7-14 day intervals and preferably with 37.5-75 IU increments.
No direct comparison of GONAL-f/LH versus human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) has been performed. Comparison with historical data suggests that the ovulation rate obtained with GONAL-f/LH is similar to that obtained with hMG.
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): A certain degree of ovarian enlargement is an expected effect of controlled ovarian stimulation. It is more commonly seen in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome and usually regresses without treatment.
In distinction to uncomplicated ovarian enlargement, OHSS is a condition that can manifest itself with increasing degrees of severity. It comprises marked ovarian enlargement, high serum sex steroids, and an increase in vascular permeability which can result in an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal, pleural and, rarely, in the pericardial cavities.
The following symptomatology may be observed in severe cases of OHSS: abdominal pain, abdominal distension, severe ovarian enlargement, weight gain, dyspnoea, oliguria and gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Clinical evaluation may reveal hypovolaemia, haemoconcentration, electrolyte imbalances, ascites, haemoperitoneum, pleural effusions, hydrothorax or acute pulmonary distress. Very rarely, severe OHSS may be complicated by ovarian torsion or thromboembolic event such as pulmonary embolism, ischaemic stroke or myocardial infarction.
Independent risk factors for developing OHSS include polycystic ovarian syndrome high absolute or rapidly rising serum oestradiol levels (e.g. > 900 pg/ml or > 3,300 pmol/l in anovulation; > 3,000 pg/ml or > 11,000 pmol/l in ART) and large number of developing ovarian follicles (e.g. > 3 follicles of ≥ 14 mm in diameter in anovulation; ≥ 20 follicles of ≥ 12 mm in diameter in ART).
Adherence to recommended GONAL-f dose and regimen of administration can minimise the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation (see Dosage & Administration and Adverse Reactions). Monitoring of stimulation cycles by ultrasound scans as well as oestradiol measurement are recommended to early identity risk factors.
There is evidence to suggest that hCG plays a key role in triggering OHSS and that the syndrome may be more severe and more protracted if pregnancy occurs. Therefore, if signs of ovarian hyperstimulation occur such as serum oestradiol level > 5.500 pg/ml or > 20,200 pmol/l and/or ≥ 40 follicles in total, it is recommended that hCG be withheld and the patient be advised to refrain from coitus or to use barrier contraceptive method for at least 4 days. OHSS may progress rapidly (within 24 hours) or over several days to become a serious medical event. It most often occurs after hormonal treatment has been discontinued and reaches its maximum at about seven to ten days following treatment. Therefore patients should be followed for at least two weeks after hCG administration.
In ART, aspiration of all follicles prior to ovulation may reduce the occurrence of hyperstimulation.
Mild or moderate OHSS usually resolves spontaneously. If severe OHSS occurs, it is recommended that gonadotropin treatment be discontinued if still ongoing, and that the patient be hospitalised and appropriate therapy be started.
Multiple pregnancy: In patients undergoing ovulation induction, the incidence of multiple pregnancy is increased as compared with natural conception. The majority of multiple conceptions are twins. Multiple pregnancy, especially of high order, carries an increased risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.
To minimise the risk of multiple pregnancy, careful monitoring of ovarian response is recommended.
In patients undergoing ART procedures the risk of multiple pregnancy is related mainly to the number of embryos replaced, their quality and the patient age.
The patients should be advised of the potential risk of multiple births before starting treatment.
Pregnancy loss: The incidence of pregnancy loss by miscarriage or abortion is higher in patients undergoing stimulation of follicular growth for ovulation induction or ART than following natural conception.
Ectopic pregnancy: Women with a history of tubal disease are at risk of ectopic pregnancy, whether the pregnancy is obtained by spontaneous conception or with fertility treatments. The prevalence of ectopic pregnancy after ART, was reported to be higher than in general population.
Reproductive system neoplasms: There have been reports of ovarian and other reproductive system neoplasms, both benign and malignant, in women who have undergone multiple drug treatment regimens for infertility treatment. It is not yet established whether or not treatment with gonadotropins increases the risk of these tumors in infertile women.
Congenital malformation: The prevalence of congenital malformations after ART may be slightly higher than after spontaneous conceptions. This is thought to be due to differences in parental characteristics (e.g. maternal age, sperm characteristics) and multiple pregnancies.
Thromboembolic events: In women with recent or ongoing thromboembolic disease or women with generally recognised risk factors for thromboembolic events, such as personal or family history, treatment with gonadotropins may further increase the risk for aggravation or occurrence of such events. In these women, the benefits of gonadotropin administration need to be weighed against the risks. It should be noted however, that pregnancy itself as well as OHSS also carry an increased risk of thromboembolic events.
Sodium content: GONAL-f contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. essentially "sodium-free".
Effects on ability to drive and use machines: GONAL-f is expected to have no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
