Outcomes From Secondary Ovulation Induction Following Failed Oocyte Pick-up IVF Cycles

Studies reported various risk factors for inadequate ovulation induction such as body mass index, low ovarian reserve, low baseline FSH and LH, and previous use of contraception or agonist.

The flexibility to use human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in ovulation induction for antagonist protocol or progestin primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) is an advantage helping fertility doctors to decrease the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. However, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels <15UI/L and progesterone ≤11.13nmol/L eight to twelve hours post GnRHa trigger were highly correlated to failed oocyte pickup (FOP).

Rescue hCG have been found to increase favorable outcomes in patients with FOP. The presence of false FOP could be due pharmaceutical reasons and human error. Genuine FOP could be due to intrinsic ovarian pathology.

The FOP is defined as the absence of oocytes after ovarian stimulation and follicular aspiration. It is an uncomfortable situation for the patient and medical team to deal with due to the apparent expectations of favorable results.

Ovulation induction could be via GnRHa, HCG, or both in antagonist protocol and PPOS protocol. Long or short agonist protocol could be triggered only via HCG.