Can egg donor selection be improved?--A pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Accurate assessments of ovarian reserve (OR) in egg donor candidates are crucial for maximal donor selection. This study assesses whether recently reported new methods of OR assessment by age-specific (as-), rather than non-as (nas-) hormones, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and triple nucleotide (CGG) repeats on the FMR1 (fragile X) gene have the potential of improving egg donor selection.


METHODS
Seventy-three consecutive egg donor candidates (candidates), amongst those 21 who reached egg retrieval (donors), were prospectively investigated for as-FSH, as-AMH and number of CGG repeats. Abnormal findings were assessed in candidates and donors and oocyte yields in the latter were statistically associated with abnormal FSH and AMH (>or< 95% CI of as-levels) and with normal/abnormal numbers of CGG repeats (normal range 26-32).


RESULTS
Amongst candidates mean as-AMH was 3.8 +/- 2.8 ng/mL (37.0% normal, 3.0 +/- 0.7 ng/mL; 26.6% low, 1.5 +/- 0.5 ng/mL; and 37.0% high, 5.8 +/- 2.2 ng/mL). AMH among donors was 4.2 +/- 1.7 ng/mL (33.3% normal, 14.3% low, and 52.4% high), yielding 17.8 +/- 7.2 oocytes, 42.9% in normal range (10-15), 9.5% in low (less than or equal to 9) and 47.6.% in high range (16-32). Candidates in 41.9% and donors in 38.1% demonstrated normal CGG counts; the remained were mostly heterozygous abnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
Prospective assessment of even carefully prescreened candidates and donors still demonstrates shortcomings on both ends of the OR spectrum. Utilization of ovarian reserve testing methods, like as-hormones and CGG repeats on the FMR1 gene have potential of improving candidate selections.
Gleicher
Norbert
N
Center for Human Reproduction (CHR)-New York, NY, USA. ngleicher@thechr.com
Weghofer
Andrea
A
Barad
David H
DH
D000328:Adult; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood; D002452:Cell Count; D046148:Donor Selection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D019680:Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion; D055815:Young Adult
D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1; C497683:FMR1 protein, human