Objective: To determine whether ovarian perifollicular blood flow (PFBF) in the early follicular phase (EFP) was associated with treatment outcome.
Design: Retrospective longitudinal cohort study.
Setting: Tertiary referral centre/university hospital.
Patients: Thirty-four women underwent 37 IVF cycles, which resulted in 35 embryo transfers.
Interventions: Serial transvaginal scans using power Doppler ultrasound during the follicular phase. Ovarian PFBF of follicles > or =5 mm was subjectively assessed using a modified grading system (grades 0-4).
Main outcome measures: Ovarian PFBF and pregnancy.
Results: Treatment cycles were retrospectively divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=20) had cycles with at least one small (5-10 mm) or medium (11-14 mm) size follicle(s) of high grade (2-4) PFBF on cycle day 5 or 6 or 7; and Group 2 (n=17), had cycles that did not. Group 1 had a significantly higher proportion of high grade large follicles in the late follicular phase (35% vs. 21%) (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.7) and higher clinical pregnancy rate (47% vs. 12%) (OR 6.3; CI 1.1-35.7) compared to Group 2.
Conclusion: High grade ovarian PFBF in the EFP during IVF is associated with both high grade PFBF in the late follicular phase and a higher clinical pregnancy rate.