Received 9 March 2007; received in revised form 20 March 2008; accepted 24 March 2008. published online 18 June 2008.
Objective
To identify if declining ovarian reserve adversely influences granulosa cell (GC) parameters in patients undergoing IVF.
Design
Prospective study.
Setting
Academic IVF Center.
Patient(s)
Twenty-four women undergoing IVF.
Intervention(s)
Mural and cumulus GCs were harvested (at time of egg retrieval).
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Influence of ovarian reserve, reflected by maximal basal FSH levels, on GC (cumulative, mural, and cumulus) counts and viability were investigated.
Result(s)
The FSH levels demonstrated an inverse correlation with cumulative and mural, but not cumulus, GC viability. Adverse influence of increasing FSH on cumulative GC viability was independent of patient's age. The GC counts were uninfluenced by ovarian reserve status. Neither GC count nor viability demonstrated any relationship with clinical pregnancy after IVF.
Conclusion(s)
We observed an adverse association between declining ovarian reserve and GC parameters. We believe these findings may partly explain the suboptimal reproductive performance in these women.
aDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
bReproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut, Norwalk, Connecticut
Reprint requests: Keri Greenseid, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women's Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Mazer 316, Bronx, NY 10461 (FAX: 718-430-8586).
K.G. has nothing to disclose. S.J. has nothing to disclose. A.Z. has nothing to disclose. M.N. has nothing to disclose. J.H. has nothing to disclose. L.P. has nothing to disclose.
Supported by a research grant from Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Parsipanny, New Jersey, and National Institutes of Health grant no. 5K12RR17672.
Presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine 63rd annual meeting, Washington, DC, October 13–17, 2007.
ABSTRACT