BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) on ovarian reserve function during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
METHODS: From August 2018 to August 2020, the medical records of patients who received IVF-ET in the Department of Reproductive Medicine, Beijing Gynaecology and Obstetrics Hospital, Capital Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 372 patients received 2 cycles of COH, 54 patients received 3 cycles, and 13 patients received 4 cycles. The levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the number of antral follicles, levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), the total amount of gonadotropin (GN), the time of ovulation induction, the number of eggs obtained, the number of available embryos, and the number of high-quality embryos cycles were compared in different treatment.
RESULTS: The age of female patients did not significantly affect the levels of AMH or FSH during menstruation, nor the number of antral follicles before ovulation induction (P>0.05). However, with an increase in age, an increase in the number of controlled COH cycles was observed. In patients who underwent 2 COH cycles, the number of high-quality embryos in the second cycle increased significantly compared to the first cycle (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the ovulation induction time, the number of eggs, the GN dosage, and the number of available embryos (P>0.05). In patients with 3 treatment cycles, the GN dose used in the third cycle was significantly lower than that used in the first cycle (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the ovulation induction time, the number of eggs obtained, and the quality of embryos (P>0.05). In patients with 4 treatment cycles, significant differences were observed in the ovulation induction time between the first and the fourth controlled COH cycle (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were detected in GN dosage, ovulation induction time, the number of eggs obtained, the number of available embryos, and the quality of embryos (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Ovarian reserve function was not significantly affected in patients with up to 4 ovarian stimulation cycles.