Selective follicular reduction: what to do with the oocytes?

Objective: To investigate the possible benefits of in vitro fertilization (IVF) of oocytes retrieved during selective follicular reduction of supernumerary follicles in non-IVF cycles.

Methods: Selective follicular reduction of supernumerary follicles was used to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple pregnancies in gonadotropin-stimulated cycles. We analyzed the data of 13 cycles (13 women) retrospectively.

Results: Three pregnancies occurred in these 13 cycles (23%), one after intra-uterine insemination and two after timed coitus. In all cycles, oocytes were retrieved, and in 10 cycles fertilization was achieved (77%); in 6 cycles cryo-preservation was successful (46%) and in 3 cycles embryo transfer (ET) was performed (23%). All embryos were of poor quality and no pregnancies occurred after ET of frozen-thawed embryos. The diagnostic value of fertilization failure seems to be low, since one of the patients who failed to show fertilization became spontaneously pregnant afterward.

Conclusion: Based on our observations, the beneficial effect of IVF/cryopreservation during selective follicular reduction appears questionable.