[Use of antral follicle count to predict the response pattern in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles with GnRH antagonist].
OBJECTIVE
to establish whether there is a predictive relationship between the antral follicle count (AFC) on the second day of the cycle and the response pattern in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation cycles for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).


METHODS
a prospective study developed from May 2004 to May 2005, in which 51 patients aged <37 years old were submitted to assisted reproduction/ICSI in ovarian hyperstimulation protocol with gonadotropin recombinant and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist. A transvaginal ultrasonography was performed on the second day of the cycle, to count the number of follicles measuring 2 to 10 mm, at the beginning of stimulus, data compared with the number of follicles with >15 mm on the day of ovulation triggering, the total number of oocytes retrieved and in metaphases II, the number of good quality embryos transferred and pregnancy rate. The statistical analysis was performed by the t-Student test and the Mann-Whitney test, with statistical significance of 5% (p<0.05).


RESULTS
the mean age in the study group was 32.4 years. The AFC average was 7.1, minimum of 1 and maximum of 16. Considering AFC as a main variable, a significant direct correlation was observed with the number of follicles >15 mm on the day of ovulation triggering (p=0.0001), the total number of oocytes retrieved (p=0.0001) and those in metaphases II (p=0.0001). Such correlation between AFC and pregnancy was not observed (p=0.43). There was no significant correlation between AFC and the number of good quality embryos transferred (p=0.081).


CONCLUSIONS
AFC on the second day of the stimulated cycle can be used to predict the quality of ovarian stimulation, the number of oocytes retrieved and the number of mature oocytes in in vitro fertilization cycles using GnRH antagonist.
Souza
Maria do Carmo Borges de
Mdo C
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Souza
Marcelo Marinho de
MM
Oliveira
João Batista Alcântara
JB
Henriques
Carlos André
CA
Cardoso
Fernanda Freitas Oliveira
FF
Mancebo
Ana Cristina Allemand
AC
Rocha
Christina Albuquerque da
CA
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D006080:Ovarian Follicle; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D055815:Young Adult
D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone