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Women with one ovary in assisted reproduction technologies: a review of the literature

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 27 September 2012

Abstract

Background

A number of patients who have undergone assisted reproductive technology (ART) have only one ovary.

Purpose

This article reviews the clinical implications of the absence of an ovary on the reproductive potential and the outcome in ART cycle.

Data sources

MEDLINE, Pubmed, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from the 1980s through April 2010.

Study selection

Randomized, controlled trials; systematic reviews of trials; and observational studies; all restricted to English-language articles.

Data synthesis

This review includes 58 articles. Women with a single ovary did not, in general, respond as well to ovulation induction treatment than women with two ovaries in ART cycles. It appears however, that once women with a single ovary achieve the stage of embryo transfer, they can be reassured that their chances of having a child are the same as women with two ovaries. Whether the right or left ovary responds better to superovulation is a question which remains unanswered in the literature.

Limitations

The authors could not address all management questions, and excluded non-English-language literature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany

    Bouchlariotou Sofia, Rösing Beniamin & Neulen Josef

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece

    Tsikouras Panagiotis

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  1. Bouchlariotou Sofia
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  2. Tsikouras Panagiotis
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  3. Rösing Beniamin
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  4. Neulen Josef
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Correspondence to Tsikouras Panagiotis.

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Sofia, B., Panagiotis, T., Beniamin, R. et al. Women with one ovary in assisted reproduction technologies: a review of the literature. Arch Gynecol Obstet 286, 1041–1047 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-012-2477-1

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