Abstract
Purpose: The objective was to explore whether body mass and day 3 follicle-stimulating hormone have predictive value on odds of pregnancy after in vitro fertilisation. Few studies show that obesity produces a variety of alterations in the reproductive system, and that women with an elevation of day 3 FSH have declining ovarian function.
Methods: The data of one-hundred-seventy-one women who underwent a standard regime of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation was analyzed with particular reference to variations in body mass and hormone levels.
Results: By raising BMI and FSH (mIU/mL) by one unit, the odds for pregnancy were decreased by the respective factors 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.73–0.97) and 0.77 (95% confidence interval 0.59–1.00).
Conclusions: The results demonstrate that for the purpose of raising the odds of pregnancy BMI should be reduced. A low FSH value may cause the same effect. Nontheless, obesity and hormonal function may be independent risk factors for failure in assisted reproduction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lashen H, Ledger W, Bernal AL, Barlow D: Extremes of body mass do not adversely affect the outcome of superovulation and IVF. Hum Reprod 1999;14:712–715
Frisch RE: Fatness and fertility. Hum Reprod 1987;2:521–533
Tinkanen H, Blauer M, Laippala P, Touhimaa P, Kujansuu E: Prognostic factors in controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Fertil Steril 1999;72:932–936
Lenton EA, Sexton L, Lee S, Cooke ID: Progressive changes in LH and FSH and LH:FSH ratio in women throughout reproductive life. Maturitas 1988;10:35
Pearlstone AC, Fournet N, Gambone JC: Ovulation induction in women age 40 and older: The importance of basal follicle stimulating hormone level and chronological age. Fertil Steril 1992;58:674–679
Martin JSB, Nisker JA, Tummon IS: Future in vitro fertilisation pregnancy potential of women with variably elevated day 3 follicle stimulatin hormone levels. Fertil Steril 1996;65:1238–1240
Evers JLH, Slaats P, Land JA: Elevated levels of basal estradiol-17β predict poor response in patients with normal basal levels of follicle-stimulating hormone undergoing in vitro fertilisation. Fertil Steril 1998;69:1010–1040
Lewis CG, Warnes GM, Wang X, Matthews CD: Failure of body mass index or body weight to influence markedly the response to ovarian hyperstimulation in normal cycling women. Fertil Steril 1990;53:1097–1099
Déchaud H, Ferron G, Anahory T, Arnal F, Humeau C, Hédon B: Obésité et assistance médicale à la procréation. Contracept Fertil Sex 1998;26:564–567
Zaadstra BM, Seidell JC, Van Noord PA, te Velde ER, Habbema JD, Vrieswijk B: Fat and female fecundity: Prospective study of effect of body fat distribution on conception rates. BMJ 1993;306:484–487
Fedorcsák P, Storeng R, Dale PO, Tanbo T, Abyholm T: Obesity is a risk factor for early pregnancy loss after IVF or ICSI. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2000;43–48
Wass P, Waldenström U, Rossner S, Hellberg D: An android body fat distribution in females impairs the pregnancy rate of IVF-embryo transfer. Hum Reprod 1997;2:2057–2060
Green BB, Weiss NS, Daling JR: Risk of ovulatory infertility in relation to body weight. Fertil Steril 1988;50:721–726
Clark AM, Ledger W, Galletly C: Weight loss results in significant improvement in pregnancy and ovulation rates in anovulatory obese women. Hum Reprod 1995;10:2705–2712
Grodstein F, Goldman MB, Cramer DW: Body mass index and ovulatory infertility. Epidemiol 1998;50:721–726
Pasquali R, Casimirri F, Vicennati V: Weight control and its beneficial effect on fertility in women with obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod 1997;12:82–87
Halme J, Hammond MG, Talber LM, O’Rand M, Bailey L, Sloan C: Positive correlation body weight, length of human menopausal gonadotropine stimulation, and oocyte fertilization rate. Fertil Steril 1986;45:372–376
Wittemer C, Ohl J, Bailley M, Bettahar-Lebugle K, Nisand I: Does body mass index of infertile women have an impact on IVF procedure and outcome? J Assist Reprod Genetics 2000;17:547–552
Van Steirteghem A, Nagy Z, Joris H, Liu J, Staessen C, Smitz J, Wisanto A, Devroey P: High fertilization and implantation rates after intracytoplasmatic sperm injection. Hum Reprod 1993;8:1061–1066
Rich-Edwards JW, Goldmann MB, Willet WC, Hunter DJ, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Manson JE: Adolescent body mass index and infertility caused by ovulatory disorder. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1994;171:171–177
Wang JX, Davies M, Norman RJ: Body mass and probability of pregnancy during assisted reproduction treatment: Retrospective study. BMJ 2000;321:1320–1321
Loveland JB, McClamrock HD, Malinow AM, Sharara FI: Increased body mass index has a deleterious effect on in vitro outcome. J Assist Reprod Genet 2001;18:382–386
Barnhart KT, Osheroff J: Follicle stimulating hormone as a predictor of fertility. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 1998;10:227–232
van der Stege JG, van der Linden PJ: Useful predictors of ovarian stimulation response in women undergoing in vitro fertilization. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2001;52:43–46
Nahum R, Shifren JL, Chang Y, Leykin L, Isaacson K, Toth TL: Antral follicles assessment as a tool for predicting outcome in IVF—Is it a better predictor than age and FSH? J Assist Reprod Genet 2001;18:151–155
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ferlitsch, K., Sator, M.O., Gruber, D.M. et al. Body Mass Index, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Their Predictive Value in In Vitro Fertilization. J Assist Reprod Genet 21, 431–436 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-004-8759-1
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-004-8759-1