Management of ovarian stimulation for IVF: narrative review of evidence provided for World Health Organization guidance. Issue 1 (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Farquhar, Cindy; Marjoribanks, Jane; Brown, Julie; Fauser, Bart C.J.M.; Lethaby, Anne; Mourad, Selma; Rebar, Robert; Showell, Marian; van der Poel, Sheryl
• Is Part Of: Reproductive biomedicine online. Volume 35:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 16
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: in vitro fertilization -- infertility -- live birth -- ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome -- ovarian stimulation; Human reproductive technology -- Periodicals; Human embryo -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; 616.692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2017.03.024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-6483

Abstract

Abstract: In this paper, a review of evidence provided to the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline development, who prepare global guidance on the management of ovarian stimulation for women undergoing IVF, is presented. The purpose of ovarian stimulation is to facilitate retrieval of multiple oocytes during a single IVF cycle. Availability of multiple oocytes compensates for inefficiencies in subsequent stages of the cycle, which include oocyte maturation, IVF, embryo culture, embryo transfer, and implantation. Multiple embryos can be transferred in most women, and spare embryos can be frozen to allow for future chances of pregnancy without the need for repeated ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval. Our evidence synthesis team addressed 10 clinical questions on management of ovarian stimulation for IVF, prepared a narrative review of the evidence and drafted recommendations to be considered through WHO guideline development processes. Our main outcome measures were live birth, clinical pregnancy, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.