OOCYTE QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION SYNDROME

Objective: To study the oocyte quality in patients with ovarian hypers timulation syndrome (OHSS). Design: Retrospective study. Setting: The Egyptian IVF-ET Center. Patient(s): Forty-two patients who developed s evere OHSS (group A) were studied for the mean number of oocytes retri eved, percentage of high-quality oocytes, embryo quality, and fertiliz ation, implantation, and pregnancy rates; these patients were compared with an age-matched control group who did not develop OHSS (group B; n = 183) after superstimulation for IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm inje ction. Intervention(s): In vitro fertilization and ICSI. Main Outcome Measure(s): Fertilization and pregnancy rates. Result(s): In group A, the mean number of oocytes retrieved was significantly higher, whereas the percentage of high-quality oocytes and the fertilization rate wer e significantly lower than that in group B There were no statistically significant differences in the quality of embryos transferred or the implantation or pregnancy rate between the groups. The percentage of h igh-quality oocytes and the fertilization rate were significantly lowe r in patients with polycystic ovaries (PCO) in both groups. Conclusion (s): The inferior quality and maturity of oocytes in OHSS reduced the fertilization rate but did not affect the quality or the number of emb ryos transferred or the pregnancy rate. The effect on oocyte quality c ould be due to the prevalence of PCO in this group of patients. (C) 19 97 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.