title: Influence of female age on pregnancy outcome in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the influence of female age on the outcomes of ICSI in IVF-ET patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-five couples underwent 352 cycles of ICSI. The quality of oocytes and embryos, fertilization rate, and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively evaluated according to female age; < 30 years in Group A (49 cycles), 30-34 in Group B (177 cycles), 35-39 in Group C (97 cycles), and > or = 40 in Group D (29 cycles).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fertilization rates were not significantly different among the age groups. Significant negative linear correlations were observed between female age and the numbers of oocytes retrieved and embryos transferred, and cumulative embryo score. Clinical pregnancy rates were significantly decreased and spontaneous abortion rate increased with advancing age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Female age may be a prognostic indicator in ICSI program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic