CA-125 concentrations in the serum and pregnancy outcome in IVF cycles.
OBJECTIVE
CA-125 has been proposed as a potential marker for endometrial receptivity in assisted reproduction. This study was designed to evaluate whether the levels of CA-125 in the serum of patients undergoing IVF-embryo transfer (ET) is correlated with the outcome.


METHODS
Levels of serum CA-125 were measured on the day before and on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration, ovum pickup (OPU), and ET in 74 patients undergoing 100 IVF cycles between January 1994 and March 1995. Patients were treated with a midluteal-phase gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist protocol and follicular-phase human menopausal gonadotropin.


RESULTS
One hundred oocyte retrievals resulted in 91 ETs, and 22 clinical pregnancies (22%/OPU and 24.2%/ET). The live-born rate was 21%/OPU and 23.1%/ET. Neither the CA-125 serum levels nor their increase from the day of hCG until the day of ET showed any prognostic significance to the outcome of IVF, and they were not correlated with the endometrium thickness or the number of oocytes retrieved or fertilized.


CONCLUSIONS
The CA-125 serum levels in conventional IVF cycles were not correlated with the IVF outcome and yielded no prognostic information in a GnRH agonist down-regulation protocol.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bern, Switzerland.
A W
AW
Brandenberger
N A
NA
Bersinger
P R
PR
Huber
E
E
Berger
P
P
Glanzmann
M H
MH
Birkhaeuser
D000328:Adult; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004717:Endometrium / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008596:Menotropins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D008596:Menotropins