title: Reference values in ovarian response to controlled ovarian stimulation throughout the reproductive period.
abstract: Abstract The age-related decline in ovarian response to gonadotropins has been well known since the beginning of ovarian stimulation in IVF cycles and has been considered secondary to the age-related decline in ovarian reserve. The objective of this study was to establish reference values and to construct nomograms of ovarian response for any specific age to gonadotropins in IVF/ICSI cycles. We analyzed our database containing information on IVF cycles. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 703 patients were selected. Among inclusion criteria, there were regular menstrual cycle, treatment with a long GnRH agonist protocol and starting follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) dose of at least 200 IU per day. To estimate the reference values of ovarian response, the CG-LMS method was used. A linear decline in the parameters of ovarian response with age was observed: the median number of oocytes decreases approximately by one every three years, and the median number of follicles >16 mm by one every eight years. The number of oocytes and growing follicles corresponding to the 5th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 95th centiles has been calculated. This study confirmed the well known negative relationship between ovarian response to FSH and female ageing and permitted the construction of nomograms of ovarian response.
authors.affiliation: Mother-Infant Department, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , Modena , Italy .
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Marca
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grisendi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Argento
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plebani
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seracchioli
authors.forename: Annibale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volpe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000494:pharmacology; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D049451:Nomograms; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval / Q000592:standards; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone