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Antral follicle count (AFC) can be used in the prediction of ovarian response but cannot predict the oocyte/embryo quality or the in vitro fertilization outcome in an egg donation program.

Barreto Melo MA, Garrido N, Alvarez C, Bellver J, Meseguer M, Pellicer A, Remohí J

Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, Universidad de Valencia.

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether the antral follicle count (AFC) could predict ovarian response, oocyte/embryo quality, and IVF outcome. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Instituto Universitario-InstitutoValenciano de Infertilidad, Valencia, Spain. PATIENT(S): One thousand seventy-four donors and 975 oocyte recipient cycles. INTERVENTION(S): Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH), endometrial preparation, IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ET. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): COH and oocyte/embryo quality parameters and IVF outcome. RESULT(S): We observed lower E(2) levels and fewer mature retrieved oocyte numbers among donors who showed an AFC that was <10. These donors also showed significantly higher cancellation and no-donation rates; poor and/or insufficient response was the principal cause (82%). However, there were no differences among the groups regarding embryo development parameters and IVF outcome. CONCLUSION(S): AFC is a noninvasive and simple tool that can improve the oocyte donor's selection of an egg donation program. This study suggests that AFC is a good predictor of ovarian response but cannot be used to predict oocyte/embryo quality or IVF outcome.

Published 5 May 2008 in Fertil Steril.
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