Human Reproduction, Vol. 14, No. 11, 2751-2754,
November 1999
© 1999 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Prediction of over-response to ovarian stimulation in an intrauterine insemination programme
1 Assisted Conception Unit, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TG and 2 Regional Endocrine Laboratory, University Hospital, Birmingham B29 6JD, UK
Prediction of poor-response is of equal importance to prediction of over-response in intrauterine insemination programmes. The gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) stimulation test (GAST) was assessed as a predictor of over-response to ovarian stimulation in 81 patients. Blood samples were taken on cycle day 2 (before and 24 h after starting the GnRHa). Day 2 and 3 samples were assayed for oestradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to assess age, day 2 FSH, day 2 FSH/LH, oestradiol ratio (oestradiol on day 3/oestradiol on day 2) and FSH ratio (FSH on day 3/FSH on day 2) as predictors of the number of follicles (total and
14 mm), oestradiol on HCG day, and clinical pregnancy rate as appropriate. Several parameters were also compared between the patients who produced
3 (
14 mm) follicles (group A) and those who produced >3 (
14 mm) follicles (group B). The mean ± SEM age of the patients in the study was 32 ± 0.4 years. The mean total dose of recombinant FSH was 800 ± 20 IU and the mean duration of stimulation was 7.6 ± 0.2 days. Nine (11%) and 12 (15%) patients were cancelled for poor and over-response respectively. The oestradiol ratio was significantly positively correlated with oestradiol on HCG day (P < 0.001), and with the number of mature follicles (
14 mm) (P = 0.01). Age, day 2 FSH and FSH ratio were not significantly correlated with oestradiol on HCG day, total follicles and follicles
14 mm. None of the above-mentioned variables was correlated with clinical pregnancy rate. Group A had significantly lower oestradiol ratio (P = 0.007), longer duration of stimulation (P = 0.002), higher total FSH dose (P = 0.001), and lower oestradiol on HCG day (P = 0.001). GAST is therefore useful in predicting the high responders to gonadotrophin stimulation.
Key words: GnRH stimulation test/intrauterine insemination/ovarian response
3 To whom correspondence may be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Solihull Hospital, Solihull, West Midlands B91 2JL, UK