Endometrial receptivity: the age-related decline in pregnancy rates and the effect of ovarian function.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of age and ovarian function on endometrial receptivity.


METHODS
Retrospective comparison between standard IVF and ovum donation in younger and older patients (< 40 and > or = 40 years of age, respectively).


METHODS
In standard IVF, there were 325 transfer cycles in older patients and 1,103 transfer cycles in younger ones. In ovum donation, there were 236 transfer cycles in older patients and 222 cycles in younger women. Ovum recipients were then redivided into two groups, according to ovarian function: ovarian failure group (219 cycles) and eugonadal group (239 cycles) in patients with retained ovarian function as manifested by regular menstrual cycles and normal gonadotropins.


RESULTS
In standard IVF, clinical pregnancy rates (PRs) were significantly lower in older patients (12.9% versus 23.8%, respectively). In ovum donation, clinical PRs were also significantly lower in older patients (21.2% versus 29.3%, respectively). A significantly higher clinical PR (31.1%) was noted in patients with ovarian failure, compared with both eugonadal patients undergoing ovum donation (19.7%) and standard IVF patients (21.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
The decrease in endometrial receptivity with age is responsible for the higher rate of implantation failure in older women. Patients with nonfunctioning ovaries do better than eugonadal patients in ovum donation programs.
Yaron
Y
Y
In Vitro Fertilization/Embryo Transfer Unit, Serlin Maternity Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Botchan
A
A
Amit
A
A
Kogosowski
A
A
Yovel
I
I
Lessing
J B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004717:Endometrium / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies