AVOIDANCE OF OOCYTE RETRIEVAL ON THE WEEKEND THROUGH THE USE OF SCHEDULED OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION FOR IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND EMBRYO-TRANSFER

Objective: To avoid oocyte retrieval for IVF-ET during the weekend, th e scheduled method of ovarian hyperstimulation, in which oocyte retrie val is planned in advance for Monday through Wednesday, was evaluated. Design: A retrospective study. Setting: The IVF-ET unit of the Depart ment of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tokushima University Hospital. Pa tient(s): One hundred seventy-eight cycles in patients undergoing ovar ian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET were stimulated according to the sched uled method of ovarian hyperstimulation (scheduled group). One hundred seventy-one cycles in patients of similar age and with comparable cau ses of infertility were stimulated according to the conventional metho d of ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET (conventional group). Interve ntion(s): In the scheduled method, under GnRH-a, the day of oocyte ret rieval was determined in advance for IVF-ET. Ovarian stimulation with FSH and hMG was started 12 days before oocyte retrieval. Main Outcome Measure(s): The cancellation and clinical pregnancy rates (PRs), the d ays of oocyte retrieval, and other clinical parameters were evaluated in the two groups. Result(s): The cancellation rates in the scheduled and conventional groups were 9.6% and 4.7%, respectively. In about 75% of cycles in the scheduled group, oocyte retrieval was conducted on t he scheduled day. When oocyte retrieval was scheduled for Monday throu gh Wednesday, overtime work on the weekend could be avoided in 91% of the cycles without cancellation. The clinical PR was comparable betwee n the two groups. Conclusion(s): The scheduled method of ovarian hyper stimulation for IVF-ET was useful for avoiding oocyte retrieval on the weekend. (C) 1997 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.