BASAL FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE (FSH) PREDICTS RESPONSE TO CONTROLLED OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION (COH)-INTRAUTERINE INSEMINATION (IUI) THERAPY

Purpose: This work investigates the relationship of basal follicle sti mulating hormone (FSH) measurements and age to ovarian responsiveness and pregnancy occurrence following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and intrauterine insemination (COH-IUI). Method: Basal FSH was measur ed retrospectively in sera from infertility patients obtained on cycle day 2, 3, or 4 of a COH-IUI treatment cycle. Basal FSH was then corre lated with COH response parameters and treatment outcome in ovulatory (n = 98) and anovulatory (n = 33) patients. Clinical data were collect ed from retrospective chart review. In the ovulatory group, increasing basal FSH was associated with fewer follicles (P = 0.01) and lower pe ak estradiol (P = 0.0001). Results: No age related effects were detect ed in the anovulatory group. Also, there were no pregnancies in this g roup when basal FSH was >22.1 mIU/ml. Increasing age in the ovulatory group was associated with fewer follicles (P = 0.0001), lower peak est radiol (P = 0.0001), and fewer pregnancies (P = 0.04). In the anovulat ory group, basal FSH did not correlate with follicle numbers or peak e stradiol, although more ampoules of hMG were used for stimulation (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Increasing basal FSH and patient age both correla ted inversely with ovarian responsiveness to COH in ovulatory patients . Basal FSH can be used in clinically to identify patients undergoing COH who are unlikely to respond to superovulatory drugs and unlikely t o become pregnant.