title: Saliva cortisol levels and subjective stress are not associated with number of oocytes after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish an association between the number of oocytes retrieved after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and saliva cortisol (F) levels, as well as subjective stress, in women undergoing their first IVF cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective clinical study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic research institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with primary or secondary infertility undergoing IVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertility problem inventory (FPI) questionnaire and measurement of morning and evening saliva F by RIA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of oocytes and stress, defined as low morning F and/or a positive FPI result.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three women provided saliva specimens, 66 of whom also filled in the FPI. The median number of oocytes was 8.4 (range 0-26). A state of stress was observed in 38/83 (46%) women. The mean number of oocytes was not significantly different between women with and without stress (7.3 ± 4.3 vs. 8.9 ± 6.9, respectively). In a multivariate analysis, stress (odds ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval 0.03-225.7) and morning F (odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.6-1.3) were not significantly associated with the number of oocytes. There were no statistically significant correlations between F concentrations, FPI results, and age, number of poor responders, live birth rate, and clinical pregnancy rate (PR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress, as measured by saliva F and the FPI questionnaire, does not negatively impact the effectiveness of COH and is not associated with a reduced number of oocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria. kazem.nouri@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nouri
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Litschauer
authors.forename: Johannes C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buerkle
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tiringer
authors.forename: Clemens B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Tempfer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016471:Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone