CONTROLLED OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION IN ASSISTED REPRODUCTION - EFFECTON THE IMMUNE-SYSTEM

Objective: To determine how controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in assisted reproduction affects the immune system. Design: A prospect ive, nonrandomized, case-control study. Setting: Academic research set ting. Patient(s): Women with regular menstrual cycles undergoing COH i n an assisted reproduction program. Intervention(s): Blood samples wer e collected in the early and late follicular phase, at the time of ovu lation, and in the luteal phase during a natural cycle, and at four ti mes during the next cycle, which included COH and IVF. Main Outcome Me asure(s): Lymphocyte subpopulations and the differential blood count. Result(s): In the natural cycles, a significant increase in the total numbers of lymphocytes, B cells, natural killer cells, and CD3+HLADRcells was observed in the late follicular phase, whereas the T helper/ T suppressor cell ratio declined. In the hyperstimulated cycles, incre ases were seen in the total numbers of leukocytes and neutrophils on t he day of hCG administration; the number of lymphocytes, monocytes, an d neutrophils was increased on the day of oocyte retrieval, and the to tal number of leukocytes and neutrophils increased during the luteal p hase. Conclusion(s): Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation with hMG and simultaneous administration of a GnRH antagonist did not affect the im mune system. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:831-5. (C) 1998 by American Soc iety for Reproductive Medicine.).