B. Salobir et al., INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH-FACTOR BINDING PROTEIN-3 (IGFBP-3) SERUM CONCENTRATIONS AND OVARIAN RESPONSIVENESS IN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION, Human reproduction, 11(10), 1996, pp. 2208-2210
The growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) asis seem
s to play an important role in ovarian responsiveness, Recently IGF bi
nding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) serum concentrations have bees reported to b
e a good marker of GH/IGF-I axis activity, In view of this finding, we
measured IGFBP-3 serum concentrations in 29 women undergoing in-vitro
fertilization. We found a significant correlation among IGFBP-3 serum
concentrations and markers of ovarian stimulation including efficacy
index, serum oestradiol concentrations and the number of follicles on
the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration. The res
ults of our study add additional evidence to the importance of the GH/
IGF-I system in regulating ovarian responsiveness to gonadotrophin sti
mulation.