Value of serum CA-125 concentrations as predictors of pregnancy in assisted reproduction cycles

The means by which endometrial receptivity influences conception rates in a ssisted reproductive technology (ART) is poorly understood. As the glycopro tein CA-125 is a product of human endometrium and is measurable in the peri pheral circulation, it was investigated whether it might serve as an indica tor of endometrial receptivity and predictor of pregnancy, In this prospect ive study, serum CA-125 concentrations of 75 ART cycles were measured 1 day before and on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administratio n, and on the day of oocyte retrieval, These women did not have endometrios is and were induced by long-protocol gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analog ue. Pregnancy was achieved in 35 (46.7%) cycles, but not in 40 cycles (53.3 %), Serum CA-125 concentrations 1 day before and on the day of HCG administ ration and on the day of oocyte retrieval were significantly higher in cycl es with pregnancy than in those without pregnancy (P < 0.05), It was noted that CA-125 concentrations on the day of oocyte retrieval were the best pre dictors of pregnancy, with concentrations > 10 IU/ml having an accuracy of 86.6% for pregnancy. In conclusion, in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cyc les, women with high serum CA-125 concentrations (> 10 IU/ml) on the day of oocyte retrieval had very high pregnancy rates.