Effect of body mass index on the outcome of IVF cycles among patients with poor ovarian response.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the outcome of IVF cycles among poor responders. METHODS: A prospective cohort study in Egypt enrolled 185 poor responders who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection via an antagonist protocol between 2012 and 2017. Participants were classified into three groups by BMI (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters): 18.5-24.9 (normal, n=48); 25-29.9 (overweight, n=54); 30 or higher (obese, n=83). Outcomes were clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, chemical pregnancy rate, gonadotropin dose, number of oocytes and embryos, and cancellation rate. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among the three groups in gonadotropin dose; duration of stimulation; endometrial thickness on trigger day; number of oocytes retrieved, injected, or fertilized; number of embryos, transferred embryos, or frozen embryos; or day of embryo transfer. Frequency of implantation (11/81 [14%] vs 6/96 [6%] or 5/155 [3%]), chemical pregnancy (20 [42%] vs 14 [30%] or 12 [14%]) and clinical pregnancy (15 [31%] vs 12 [22%] and 9 [11%]) was significantly higher for normal than for overweight or obese women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Implantation, chemical pregnancy, and clinical pregnancy rates were inversely related to increasing BMI. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT03457233.

Effect of Prolonged GnRH Agonist Downregulation on ICSI Outcome in Patients With Endometriomas of Less Than 5 cm: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of prolonged Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist downregulation in patients with endometriomas of less than 5 cm on the outcome of the proceeding Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) trial. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial at a university teaching hospital, 90 patients indicated for ICSI and having unilateral single endometrioma of less than 5 cm in diameter were randomized into 2 groups. Group A (45 patients) received the standard long protocol; whereas group B (45 patients) received 3 consecutive Intramuscular (IM) injections of triptorelin 3.75 mg 28 days apart followed by the standard long protocol 28 days after the last injection. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical and hormonal characteristics between the 2 groups. All ICSI cycle characteristics including number of retrieved oocytes, fertilized oocytes, and transferred embryos were also not significantly different. However, patients who received prolonged GnRH agonist therapy showed significantly higher chemical ( P = .011), clinical ( P = .018), and ongoing ( P = .028) pregnancy rates. CONCLUSION: Prolonged GnRH agonist downregulation improves the pregnancy rates in patients with small endometriomas undergoing ICSI.

Randomized controlled trial of the effect of endometrial injury on implantation and clinical pregnancy rates during the first ICSI cycle.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether endometrial injury in the cycle preceding controlled ovarian hyperstimulation during intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) improves the implantation and pregnancy rates. METHODS: Between January 1, 2016, and March 31, 2017, a randomized controlled trial was conducted at a center in Egypt among 300 women who met inclusion criteria (first ICSI cycle, aged <40 years, day-3 follicle-stimulating hormone <10 IU/L, normal serum prolactin, no uterine cavity abnormality). The women were randomly allocated using a web-based system to undergo endometrial scratch in the cycle preceding controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (n=150) or to a control group (n=150). Only data analysts were masked to group assignment. The primary outcomes were the implantation and clinical pregnancy rates at 14 days and 4 weeks after embryo transfer, respectively. Analyses were by intention to treat. RESULTS: The implantation rate was significantly higher in the endometrial scratch group (41.3% [90/218]) than in the control group (30.0% [63/210]; P<0.001). The clinical pregnancy rate was also significantly higher in the endometrial scratch group (44.2% [61/138]) than in the control group (30.4% [41/135]; P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Endometrial injury in the cycle preceding the stimulation cycle improved implantation and pregnancy rates during ICSI. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT02660125.

Prospective study of the effect of maternal body mass index on labor progress in nulliparous women in Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of maternal body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) on labor progress in nulliparous women. METHODS: The present prospective cohort study enrolled primigravidae admitted to Kasr Al Ainy hospital, Cairo University, Egypt, during active labor between February 1, 2016, and February 28, 2017. Patients were classified into three equal groups using their BMI at admission: underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5-29.9), and obese (≥30). The primary outcome was the rate of cervical dilatation; secondary outcomes included the duration of the second stage of labor, neonatal delivery weight, and the mode of delivery. RESULTS: Among the 600 primigravidae enrolled (200 in each group), significant differences were recorded in the rates of cervical dilatation (P<0.001), and the duration of the active labor phase (P<0.001) and the whole of labor (P<0.001); in the obese group, the cervical dilatation rate was lowest and the durations of the active phase of labor and the whole of labor were longer. The incidence of intrapartum cesarean delivery (P<0.001) and neonatal delivery weight (P<0.001) also differed between the groups; both were highest in the obese group. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns in labor progress, including cervical dilatation rate and labor duration, differed among patients with different BMI. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02686073.