Comparison of IVF/ICSI outcome in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome or tubal factor infertility

Polycystic ovarian syndrome and miscarriage in IVF: systematic revision of the literature and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the risk of miscarriage in IVF cycles in women with PCOS.

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Google Scholar. The language search was restricted to English, Spanish and French, from 2000 to 2019, with crosschecking of references from relevant articles. Inclusion criteria were: (1) IVF cycles (2) a group of patients with PCOS was considered separately, (3) the miscarriage rate was reported, (4) there was a control group, (5) definition of PCOS according the Rotterdam criteria. Exclusion criteria were been excluded from the meta-analysis: (1) publication prior to the year 2000, (2) animal studies, (3) reviews, (4) abstracts or conference papers, (5) letters, (6) case reports, (7) studies comparing different IVF techniques, (8) studies comparing groups with and without metformin or other treatments, (9) studies on induced abortions. Risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa score (NOS). All the included studies had a low risk of bias (NOS scores ranging 7-8). The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020186713). Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis. There was a total of 10,472 pregnancies (2650 in PCOS and 7822 in controls) of which 1885 were miscarriages (682 in PCOS and 1203 in controls). We considered the miscarriage rate (MR), preclinical MR, early MR, and late MR.

RESULTS

In IVF pregnancies the risk of miscarriage was significantly increased when considering miscarriages in total (RR = 1.59; CI = 1.45-1.75), preclinical miscarriages (RR = 1.59; CI = 1.35-1.88), and early miscarriages (RR = 1.44; CI = 1.16-1.79). The increased miscarriage rate persisted in Chinese and Western populations when considered separately. The risk of miscarriage was increased in the subgroup of fresh transfers (RR = 1.21; CI = 1.06-1.39) as well as in the subgroup including either fresh or frozen transfers (RR = 1.95; CI = 1.72-2.22).

CONCLUSION

PCOS is linked to an increased MR in IVF pregnancies both of miscarriages in total, and to an increase in preclinical and early miscarriages.

PROSPERO NUMBER

CRD42020186713.

In vitro fertilization cycle and embryo transfer outcomes in oligoanovulatory patients with hypothalamic hypogonadism vs. polycystic ovary syndrome and compared with normo-ovulatory patients

Objective

To study the difference in the live birth rates between anovulatory women with hypothalamic hypogonadism (HH) and those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and normo-ovulatory women undergoing fresh embryo transfer or frozen embryo transfer (FET).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Patient(s)

Patients with oligoanovulation (HH, n = 47; PCOS, n = 533) and normo-ovulation (tubal factor infertility, n = 399) undergoing in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles from January 1, 2012, to June 30, 2019.

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Live birth rate.

Result(s)

Patients with HH had longer stimulation durations than both patients with PCOS and tubal factor infertility. Patients with HH had fewer oocytes retrieved than patients with PCOS, but their numbers of blastocysts were similar. Patients with HH and tubal factor infertility had similar numbers of oocytes retrieved and blastocysts. In fresh embryo transfer cycles, the live birth rates were similar among patients with HH, PCOS, and tubal factor infertility (37.5% vs. 37.1% vs. 29.3%, respectively). When evaluating FET cycles, patients with HH had lower live birth rates than patients with PCOS (26.5% vs. 46.7%) and tubal factor infertility (42.6%).

Conclusion(s)

Live birth rates are similar among patients with HH, PCOS, and normo-ovulation undergoing fresh embryo transfer but are significantly lower in women with HH undergoing FET.

Different pregnancy outcomes according to the polycystic ovary syndrome diagnostic criteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 79 studies

OBJECTIVE

To correlate the distinct diagnostic criteria of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with the development of maternal and neonatal complications.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING

Not applicable.

PATIENT(S)

Pregnant women with PCOS.

INTERVENTION(S)

Maternal and neonatal complications were compared among women with PCOS diagnosed with different criteria.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

The primary outcomes of gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia (PE) were assessed for every diagnostic criterion.

RESULT(S)

Seventy-nine studies were included. Regarding gestational diabetes, the overall pooled prevalence was 14% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11%-18%; I², 97%), reaching the highest level when polycystic ovarian morphology on ultrasound and 1 of the remaining 2 Rotterdam criteria (1/2 Rotterdam criteria) were used (18%; 95% CI, 13%-24%; I², 20%) and the lowest when polycystic morphology on ultrasound and hyperandrogenism were used (3%; 95% CI, 0%-19%; I², not applicable). Regarding PE, the overall pooled prevalence was 5% (95% CI, 4%-7%; I², 82%). The highest PE prevalence was reported when the National Institutes of Health criteria were used (14%; 95% CI, 5%-33%; I², 90%) and the lowest when menstrual irregularities and 1 of the 2 Rotterdam criteria were used (2%; 95% CI, 1%-3%; I², not applicable).

CONCLUSION(S)

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women with PCOS does not differ according to the criteria used; however, women diagnosed with PCOS per the National Institutes of Health criteria are at higher risk of PE.

Antral follicle count and anti-Müllerian hormone level as predictors of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation

Aim: To compare the rate of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome, and to determine the cut-off for the antral follicle count and the anti-Müllerian hormone level predictive of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in both groups. Methods: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in women aged 20–35 years who were undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation. The women were divided into those with polycystic ovarian syndrome and the controls on the basis of the Rotterdam criteria. The outcome of stimulation was recorded, and the ovarian response markers were compared in both groups. Results: Among 689 women included in the study, 276 (40.1%) had polycystic ovarian syndrome, and 476 (59.9%) were used as the controls. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurred in 19.6% of the cases, and in 7.7% of the controls (p <0.001). The conception rate was greater in the group of cases (52.5% vs. 16.5%, p = 0.001). Among the cases, the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of hyper-response were 94.4% and 97.3% for AFC, and 92.6% and 93.7% for the anti-Müllerian hormone, at the cut-off values of ≥18 and ≥6.425 ng/ml, respectively. Among the controls, the sensitivity and specificity for the prediction of hyper-response were 93.8% and 97.1% for the antral follicle count, and 93.6% and 94.5% for the anti-Müllerian hormone, at the cut-off values of ≥10 and ≥3.95 ng/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Group-specific values should be used to identify and counsel women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation. In light of available evidence, gynaecologists should be trained to perform ultrasound evaluation, determine the antral follicle count of their patients, and offer them appropriate counselling.

Polycystic ovary syndrome and reproductive health of women: a curious association

Reproductive health is a broad concept that encompasses mortality, morbidity, and quality of life associated with the reproductive system, mechanism, and incidents encountered at all ages by men and women. Orthodox Indian society finds the conversation on reproductive health to be a taboo and discourages open conversations about it. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive-age metabolic endocrine disorder found in females. Females suffering from PCOS are prone to reproductive, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders. In this paper, we will systematically review about effect of PCOS on Reproductive Health of Women. The numerous electronic databases such as: BMJ, LANCET, PUBMED, Unicef Website, WHO Website and Google Scholar have been comprehensively searched for studies linked to PCOS, its various effects and effect on women's reproductive health. For additional analyses, we have reviewed reference lists of reviews and collected papers. The effects of PCOS on women's reproductive health have been verified by several scientific reports worldwide. PCOS is a hormonal condition, as per multiple reports, with the ability to lead to different outcomes. It still appears to be a common cause among females of infertility. An integral aspect of the treatment of this disease is the early diagnosis of long-term morbidities by effective screening tests. In the future, studies must concentrate on the missing holes in our growing perception of this disease. Several studies have confirmed that reproductive morbidity, including irregular uterine bleeding, abortion, miscarriage, and other risk of pregnancy during reproductive years, is associated with PCOS. PCOS is an amalgam of physiological and psychosocial dysfunction, not just an endocrine disorder.

Factors Associated with In Vitro Fertilization Live Birth Outcome: A Comparison of Different Classification Methods

Background

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a useful assisted reproductive technology to achieve pregnancy in infertile couples. However, it is very important to optimize the success rate after IVF by controlling for its influencing factors. This study aims to classify successful deliveries after IVF according to couples' characteristics and available data on oocytes, sperm, and embryos using several classification methods.

Materials and Methods

This historical cohort study was conducted in a referral infertility centre located in Tehran, Iran. The patients' demographic and clinical variables for 6071 cycles during March 21, 2011 to March 20, 2014 were collected. We used six different machine learning approaches including support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), naïve Bayes (NB), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to predict successful delivery. The results of the performed methods were compared using accuracy tools.

Results

The rate of successful delivery was 81.2% among 4930 cycles. The total accuracy of the results exposed RF had the best performance among the six approaches (ACC=0.81). Regarding the importance of variables, total number of embryos, number of injected oocytes, cause of infertility, female age, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were the most important factors predicting successful delivery.

Conclusion

A successful delivery following IVF in infertile individuals is considerably affected by the number of embryos, number of injected oocytes, cause of infertility, female age, and PCOS.

The effect of polycystic ovary syndrome without hyperandrogenism on pregnancy-related outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) without hyperandrogenism on pregnancy-related outcomes.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Reproductive Medicine Centre of Tongji Hospital.

POPULATION

Women without hyperandrogenism undergoing their first single blastocyst transfers in frozen-thawed cycles were divided into a PCOS group and a non-PCOS group according to the Rotterdam criteria.

METHODS

The pregnancy-related outcomes of women with and without PCOS were compared. Propensity score matching and multiple logistic regression models were used to eliminate essential impacts on pregnancy-related outcomes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Pregnancy-related outcomes included pregnancy loss and abnormal perinatal outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 4083 women without hyperandrogenism met the study criteria, among whom 557 met the diagnostic criteria for PCOS. Women with PCOS had higher rates of clinical pregnancy (P = 0.035) and cumulative live births (P = 0.023). However, there were no significant differences in the rates of biochemical pregnancy, twins and pregnancy loss between the two groups. Among women with singleton pregnancies, the incidences of preterm birth, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, placenta praevia, fetal malformation, macrosomia and low birthweight did not differ significantly between the two groups. The results remained unchanged even after adjustments were made for propensity score matching and multiple logistic regression analyses.

CONCLUSION

Women with PCOS without hyperandrogenism may achieve higher rates of clinical pregnancy and cumulative live birth than those without PCOS, without increases in their rates of biochemical pregnancy, pregnancy loss or other abnormal perinatal outcomes.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

PCOS without hyperandrogenism was not associated with abnormal pregnancy-related outcomes.

Fetuin-A – Alpha2-Heremans-Schmid Glycoprotein: From Structure to a Novel Marker of Chronic Diseases Part 2. Fetuin-A – A Marker of Insulin Resistance and Related Chronic Diseases

Fetuin-A is a secretory liver glycoprotein with multiple physiological functions such as regulation of insulin resistance, tissue calcification, bone metabolism, cellular proteolytic activity, and self-proliferative signaling.

Fetuin-A is a unique molecule which binds to the insulin receptor, modulating its sensitivity, and transducing “the physiological conditions” (serum levels of the metabolites like glucose, free fatty acids, inflammatory signals) from outside into inside the cells. Plasma fetuin-A levels correlate with reduced glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Impaired insulin sensitivity leads to the development of metabolic syndrome, an increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM), dyslipidaemias and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Furthermore, fetuin-A inversely correlates with inflammatory and activation biomarkers, e.g. in patients with T2DM. Thus, circulatory fetuin-A levels may have plausible predictive importance as a biomarker of risk of diabetes and negative acute phase protein. Dysregulated, it plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of some metabolic disorders and clinical inflammatory conditions like metabolic syndrome, T2DM, CVDs, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), etc.

Use and pattern of previous care received by infertile Nigerian women

Background

Prevalence of infertility in sub-Saharan Africa is high yet fertility care, its development and access is limited in resource-poor countries like Nigeria so infertile women resort to different forms of treatment. This study aimed to determine the use and pattern of previous treatments.

Methodology

This was a descriptive Cross Sectional study conducted at a tertiary hospital in North-Western Nigeria. Interviewer administered pretested questionnaires were administered to 236 consenting clients seen at their first visit to the gynaecology clinic with complaints of inability to conceive, between January 2016 to March 2018. We collected information on demographic and reproductive characteristics, previous fertility treatment and other data relevant to infertility. Descriptive analysis was done using SPSS software version 22.

Results

Two hundred and thirty six clients participated in the study and majority were 20–29 years (44.5%), with a mean age of 31.5 ± 7.4, while the mean age of their husbands was 41 ± 8.0. More clients were educated up to secondary level or above (80.9%), with more Muslims (65%) than Christians. All clients were married except one, most clients had been married for 5 years or more, 18.2% were in their second order of marriage and 28% were in polygamous marriages. Many of the clients were homemakers (46.6%) and earned an average monthly income of less than fifty thousand naira. About 59.3% of clients presented with primary infertility, with 15.7% being infertile for duration of more than 10 years. One hundred and forty six respondents (61.9%) had received previous hospital treatments before presentation to our facility, 37% had visited more than three hospitals, 70% did not have adequate investigations done, treatment was successful in 15% while 40.7% received traditional treatments. Husbands of women receiving previous treatment were slightly older (p value < 0.05).

Conclusion

Majority of woman have multiple and unnecessary visits to several hospitals for infertility care with little positive results despite time and resources spent. Quality of infertility care needs to be improved.

Reproductive Outcomes of Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Following In-Vitro Fertilization — A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of infertility in women. In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is required in 20–30% of women with PCOS trying to conceive. This is associated with increased risk of multiple gestation and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Improvements in IVF techniques, safety standards, and the increased use of frozen embryos in recent years have lead to improved outcomes for women with PCOS. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare these outcomes with women without PCOS.

Search Methods: A search of PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of clinical trials, and Scopus databases for all articles published until November 16th, 2017 identified 21 studies comparing IVF outcomes in PCOS and non-PCOS women. Inclusion criteria were Rotterdam criteria PCOS, comparable IVF regimes, immediate IVF outcomes, and pregnancy outcomes. Studies were excluded if the control group included any PCOS criteria, donor oocytes, or in-vitro maturation.

Outcomes: No difference was observed in live birth rate per cycle in women with vs. without PCOS (RR [Formula: see text] 1.01 [0.89, 1.16]; [Formula: see text] 82%), but the live birth rate per first cycle in PCOS cycles (RR [Formula: see text] 0.93 [0.88, 0.99]) was slightly lower. There was also no difference in the clinical pregnancy rate (RR 1.02 [0.89, 1.17]) or biochemical pregnancy rate (RR 1.03 [0.99, 1.08]) observed between the two groups. PCOS was associated with a significantly higher number of oocytes retrieved (mean difference [Formula: see text] 3.6; 95% CI [2.8, 4.4]), risk of miscarriage (RR 2.90 [2.09, 4.02]), and risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (RR 3.42 [2.28, 5.13]) per cycle.

Conclusion: Despite a widespread perception of poor reproductive potential, women with PCOS experience IVF outcomes similar to those without PCOS. Although there is a slightly lower live birth rate during their first stimulation cycle, success rates are similar after multiple cycles. PCOS is associated with a higher risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Further studies are required to mitigate this risk.

A meta-analysis of pregnancy-related outcomes and complications in women with polycystic ovary syndrome undergoing IVF

This meta-analysis aimed to study whether pregnancy-related outcomes and complications differed between patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those with other causes of infertility who had undergone IVF. A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library and Chinese databases was carried out to identify relevant studies published before July 2018. Outcomes were expressed as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Twenty-nine studies were identified for inclusion. Women with PCOS had higher risks of miscarriage (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.04-1.91), ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OR 4.96, 95% CI 3.73-6.60), gestational diabetes mellitus (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.43-4.98), pregnancy-induced hypertension (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.45-2.91), preterm birth (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.25-2.04) and large-for-gestational-age babies (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.01-4.37). Women with PCOS showed similar rates of clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, small for gestational age and congenital malformations, and a higher live birth rate, compared with women without PCOS. This study provides an update on and comprehensive evidence to support the observation that despite the fact that PCOS patients achieve a better live birth rate, physicians should continue to consider them to be at high risk of adverse pregnancy-related outcomes.

Impact of Central Obesity on Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization

Central obesity (CO) is a defining characteristic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and PCOS-induced disorders are likely to be exacerbated in the presence of CO. This study aims to evaluate the impact of CO on infertile women with PCOS undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).It is a retrospective and case-control study. One hundred eighty-eight infertile PCOS women undergoing IVF were divided into CO group (n = 70, waist circumference [WC] ≥80 cm) and noncentral obesity (NCO) group (n = 118, WC <80 cm). Baseline characteristics, parameters of ovarian stimulation and laboratory, and pregnancy outcomes were compared between two groups. After controlling for body mass index (BMI), WC positively correlated with fasting insulin (r = 0.210, p = 0.007), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (r = 0.249, p = 0.006) and free androgen index (r = 0.249, p = 0.006). Compared with NCO group, CO group had significantly increased endocrine and metabolic disorders and needed significantly higher dose of gonadotropins, longer duration of ovarian stimulation (p < 0.05), but had significantly lower peak serum estradiol level (p < 0.01) and less oocytes retrieved (p = 0.032). CO group had significantly lower live birth and implantation rates (53.8% vs. 86.8%, p = 0.001; and 24.3% vs. 36.3%, p = 0.019, respectively) and higher early spontaneous miscarriage rate (38.5% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.002). For the multivariate analysis, by adjusting for age, BMI, insulin resistance, and hyperandrogenism (HA), CO was significantly independent risk factor for early miscarriage (adjusted relative ratio = 16.87, 95% confidence interval = 2.15-132.70, p = 0.007). CO is associated with insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and HA independent of BMI and is associated with poor pregnancy outcome in infertile women with PCOS undergoing IVF.

Availability, effectiveness and safety of ART in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

STUDY QUESTION

What is the evidence pertaining to availability, effectiveness and safety of ART in sub-Saharan Africa?

SUMMARY ANSWER

According to overall limited and heterogeneous evidence, availability and utilization of ART are very low, clinical pregnancy rates largely compare to other regions but are accompanied by high multiple pregnancy rates, and in the near absence of data on deliveries and live births the true degree of effectiveness and safety remains to be established.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

In most world regions, availability, utilization and outcomes of ART are monitored and reported by national and regional ART registries. In sub-Saharan Africa there is only one national and no regional registry to date, raising the question what other evidence exists documenting the status of ART in this region.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION

A systematic review was conducted searching Pubmed, Scopus, Africawide, Web Of Science and CINAHL databases from January 2000 to June 2017. A total of 29 studies were included in the review. The extracted data were not suitable for meta-analysis.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS

The review was conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. All peer-reviewed manuscripts irrespective of language or study design that presented original data pertaining to availability, effectiveness and safety of ART in sub-Saharan Africa were eligible for inclusion. Selection criteria were specified prior to the search. Two authors independently reviewed studies for possible inclusion and critically appraised selected manuscripts. Data were analysed descriptively, being unsuitable for statistical analysis.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

The search yielded 810 references of which 29 were included based on the predefined selection and eligibility criteria. Extracted data came from 23 single centre observational studies, two global ART reports, two reviews, one national data registry and one community-based study. ART services were available in 10 countries and delivered by 80 centres in six of these. Data pertaining to number of procedures existed from three countries totalling 4619 fresh non-donor aspirations in 2010. The most prominent barrier to access was cost. Clinical pregnancy rates ranged between 21.2% and 43.9% per embryo transfer but information on deliveries and live births were lacking, seriously limiting evaluation of ART effectiveness. When documented, the rate of multiple pregnancy was high with information on outcomes similarly lacking.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION

The findings in this review are based on limited data from a limited number of countries, and are derived from heterogeneous studies, both in terms of study design and quality, many of which include small sample sizes. Although representing best available evidence, this requires careful interpretation regarding the degree of representativeness of the current status of ART in sub-Saharan Africa.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

The true extent and outcome of ART in sub-Saharan Africa could not be reliably documented as the relevant information was not available. Current efforts are underway to establish a regional ART data registry in order to report and monitor availability, effectiveness and safety of ART thus contributing to evidence-based practice and possible development strategies.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS

No funding was received for this study. The authors had no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42016032336

Clinical management and therapeutic outcome of infertile couples in southeast Nigeria

Background

Infertility is highly prevalent in Nigeria and most infertile couples in southeast Nigeria are offered conventional forms of treatment, which consist mainly of ovulation induction and tubal surgery, due to limited availability and high cost of endoscopic and assisted reproductive technologies like laparoscopy and in vitro fertilization. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of infertility, outcome of infertility investigation, and the treatment outcome of infertile couples following therapeutic interventions in southeast Nigeria over a 12-month period.

Methods

This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 218 consecutive infertile couples presenting for infertility management at the infertility clinics of two tertiary health institutions in Enugu, southeast Nigeria. Infertility investigations were carried out on these couples using the available conventional diagnostic facilities. Following the results of the investigations/diagnosis, conventional treatment was offered to the couples as appropriate. Data analysis was both descriptive and inferential at 95% confidence level.

Results

The mean age of the women was 33.5±4.62 (range: 15–49) years. Most (58.3% [n=127]) were nulliparous. The prevalence of infertility was 12.1%. Infertility was primary in 28.4% (n=62) and secondary in 71.6% (n=156). Female etiologic factors were responsible in 32.1% (n=70), male factors in 26.1% (n=57), and a combination of male/female factors in 29.4% (n=64). The etiology was unknown in 12.4% (n=27). Tubal factors 23.8 % (n=52) and ovulation failures 26.1% (n=57) are common female factors implicated. Pregnancy rate following treatment was 16.7% (n=28). Multivariate regression analysis indicates that younger age of ≤30 years, duration of infertility ≤5 years, and female factor infertility were associated with higher pregnancy outcome following treatment.

Conclusion

The prevalence of infertility is high and pregnancy rate following conventional treatment is poor. There is a need to improve facilities for managing infertility as well as making artificial reproductive techniques readily available, accessible, and affordable.

Prolonged gonadotropin stimulation for assisted reproductive technology cycles is associated with decreased pregnancy rates for all women except for women with polycystic ovary syndrome

PURPOSE

To determine if etiology of infertility modifies the relationship between the duration of ovarian stimulation and success during assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles.

METHODS

A prospectively collected database was analyzed in an academic infertility practice. Eight hundred and twelve infertile women undergoing their initial fresh embryo, non-donor in vitro fertilization (IVF) or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection ICSI) cycle between January 1999 and December 2010 were evaluated. Clinical pregnancy was the main outcome measured.

RESULTS

Out of 663 cycles resulting in oocyte retrieval, 299 produced a clinical pregnancy (45.1%). Women who achieved a clinical pregnancy had a significantly shorter stimulation length (11.9 vs. 12.1 days, p = 0.047). Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was the only etiology of infertility that was significantly associated with a higher chance for clinical pregnancy and was a significant confounder for the association of duration and success of treatment. Women with 13 days or longer of stimulation had a 34 % lower chance of clinical pregnancy as compared to those who had a shorter cycle (OR 0.66, 95% CI:0.46-0.95) after adjustment for age, ovarian reserve, number of oocytes retrieved, embryos transferred and PCOS diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Prolonged duration of stimulation is associated with decreased ART success for all couples, except for women with PCOS.