Objective: To investigate the usefulness of day-5 inhibin B and antral follicle count (AFC) in predicting ovarian response and live birth in the first cycle of assisted reproduction.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Setting: University hospital.
Patient(s): Ninety-eight infertile women treated with in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) comprising 72 normal responders and 26 poor responders.
Intervention(s): Ovarian stimulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist-gonadotropin treatment.
Main outcome measure(s): Basal ultrasonographic (AFC, total ovarian volume) and basal (follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and inhibin B) and stimulation day-5 (estradiol, inhibin B) hormone parameters.
Result(s): The AFC had the best predictive value among the basal variables for outcome of ovarian stimulation. Among the dynamic hormone measurements, day-5 inhibin serum measurement emerged as the best predictive variable of poor response in IVF-ICSI cycles, but it was not statistically significantly better than basal AFC. The association of day-5 inhibin B with live-birth rate was statistically significant and stronger than the effect of any other variable investigated.
Conclusion(s): Basal AFC and day-5 inhibin B have similar predictive properties for ovarian response in assisted reproduction cycles stimulated with gonadotropin after pituitary suppression, but day-5 inhibin B is a superior predictor of live birth.
Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.