Thursday 16 June 2005
Prolonged hCG improves IVF success for PCOS patients
Source: Human Reproduction 2005; 20: 1562-68
Examining the effects of extended human chorionic gonadotropin action in an abnormal intrafollicular environment.
Slovenian researchers have demonstrated that an increase in the length of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) action improves follicular maturation, oocyte quality, and fertilization competence in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Eda Vrtacnik Bokal and colleagues, from the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, retrieved oocytes from a total of 20 patients with PCOS who were undergoing IVF treatment, either 34 or 38 hours after hCG administration.
Analysis revealed a significant 1.6-fold increase in the likelihood of obtaining oocytes from follicles when extraction took place 38 hours after hCG administration, compared with the earlier time point.
Similarly, an odds ratio of 7.6 was obtained for the likelihood of developing high-quality embryos in the 38-hour group, compared with those whose oocytes were extracted 34 hours after hCG administration.
Further analysis showed that follicular maturation and oocyte quality were related to the actions of active renin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but that fertilization competence was related to VEGF alone.
"The timing of oocyte retrieval after hCG administration seems to be a promising alternative to in vitro maturation of oocytes that are devoid of normal intrafollicular environment," the investigators conclude.
Posted: 15 June 2005
http://www.obgynworld.com/international/news/2005/Week_24/Day_3/Prolonged_hCG_improv.asp 
Prolonged hCG improves IVF success for PCOS patients 
