Efficacy of in vitro fertilization after chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate if in vitro fertilization (IVF) with embryo cryopreservation can be proposed to patients immediately after one or two regimens of chemotherapy.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Academic research center and IVF unit.


METHODS
Eleven young patients diagnosed with cancer between September 1999 and April 2003 who wanted to preserve their fertility via IVF.


METHODS
Stimulation and IVF before or soon after chemotherapy treatment.


METHODS
The number and quality of embryos obtained after stimulation in cancer patients undergoing IVF before or soon after chemotherapeutic treatment.


RESULTS
Four patients underwent IVF in the interval between two regimens of chemotherapy. Two of them had no follicular development; one underwent follicular puncture but no oocytes were retrieved; and, in one, six oocytes were harvested but only one good quality embryo was obtained. In the seven patients who underwent IVF before starting chemotherapy, between 4 and 11 embryos were obtained per patient, the majority being good quality embryos.


CONCLUSIONS
Because the efficacy of IVF is dramatically reduced after even one round of chemotherapy, IVF should be performed before chemotherapy. For those who require immediate chemotherapy, ovarian tissue cryopreservation and/or oocyte cryopreservation could be used before treatment.
Dolmans
Marie-Madeleine
MM
Department of Gynecology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
Demylle
Dominique
D
Martinez-Madrid
Belen
B
Donnez
Jacques
J
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000209:etiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents