HOW SHOULD PATIENTS PROCEED WHEN FOLLICULAR RESPONSE FALLS SHORT OF EXPECTATION?
This is an exciting article published in Fertility and Sterility journal volume 100 1 in July 2013. The study group included 1098 patients who were going through IVF treatment cycles. These patients responded to stimulation drugs by producing no more than three follicles. Age related adjusted risks for pregnancy were calculated, stratifying for number of follicles.
The likelihood of retrieving at least one mature egg and undergoing an embryo transfer increased significantly with increasing follicle numbers. The patients with three follicles were two and a half times more likely to achieve a live birth with IVF versus IUI. This benefit was only apparent when at least two follicles were present. No benefit was gained by performing the egg collection in the setting of one follicle.
Therefore, the office concluded that IVF compared with IUI presents superior pregnancy rates in the setting of two or more follicles. Assisted reproduction programmes may benefit their patients by pursuing IVF in this scenario rather than converting it to IUI in poor responder groups.