The effect of growth hormone on the development of in vitro matured unstimulated human oocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of growth hormone on the development of in vitro matured unstimulated human oocytes. DESIGN: Randomized controlled study. SETTING: Division of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn university. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 108 germinal vesicle-stage oocytes were retrieved from 47 patients undergoing gynecologic surgery. They were aspirated either during gynecologic surgery or from excised ovaries. The oocytes were then cultured in vitro with or without growth hormone (1,000 ng/ml) in medium199 supplemented with sodium pyruvate, FSH, LH, antibiotic and synthetic serum. Incubation was done at 37 degree C with 5 per cent CO2 in air and nuclear stage was assessed after 18, 42, 66 and 90 h of incubation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Attainment of metaphase II and GVBD RESULTS: After in vitro culture, there were no significant differences in maturation and GVBD rate. 27 of 52 (51.9%) oocytes (GV) in growth hormone group matured to metaphase II compared with 25 of 53 (47.2%) GV in control group. GVBD rate for germinal vesicle-stage in growth hormone group was 76.9 per cent compared with 79.2 per cent in control group. CONCLUSION: Culture of immature oocytes in vitro with growth hormone results in similar maturation rate as that without GH.

Serum beta-hCG regression after laparoscopic salpingostomy in the treatment of ectopic pregnancy in Thai women.

This is a descriptive study which reviewed the regression pattern of serum beta hCG in Thai women with ectopic pregnancy after laparoscopic salpingostomy. The study group included the medical records of 21 patients who underwent laparoscopic salpingostomy between January 1991 and August 2001. The results revealed that the regression of serum beta hCG in patients with ectopic pregnancy after laparoscopic salpingostomy was about 10, 100, 1,000 times at day 6, 20 and 35 after operation. The correlation between days after operation and serum beta hCG was in the equation of log (beta hCG difference) = -0.0671 (days after operation) - 0.6187. This estimation curve can probably be used to predict the normal serum beta-hCG regression after laparoscopic salpingostomy.