Abstract
To determine whether the absence of one ovary would influence adversely the outcome of in vitro fertilization, the results of 60 laparoscopic oocyte retrieval procedures in 34 single-ovary patients were compared with the outcome for all laparoscopic retrieval cycles during the same period (January 1984–August 1986) in patients with tubal infertility and two accessible ovaries (559 cycles in 335 patients). The median age was younger in the one-ovary group (31 vs 32) (P < 0.05). The group with two accessible ovaries had significantly more follicles aspirated (median, 7 vs 5; P < 0.001) and more oocytes obtained (median, 5 vs 4; P < 0.001) per retrieval compared with the single-ovary group. However, the single-ovary group had a higher percentage fertilization (69 vs 62%; P < 0.05) so that the number of embryos transferred per transfer patient (median, 3 vs 3) and pregnancy rate per cycle (9.7 vs 15.6%) did not differ significantly between groups. We conclude that patients with a single ovary have a compensatory increase in the ability to produce oocytes which may have greater potential for fertilization and subsequent development.
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Lam, S.Y., McKenna, M., McBain, J.C. et al. Outcome of patients with one ovary in an in vitro fertilization program. J Assist Reprod Genet 4, 319–323 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01555378
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01555378