Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Natural IVF cycles may be desirable for women with repeated failures by stimulated IVF cycles

  • Assisted Reproduction
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Although many reports support stimulated in vitro fertilization, several patients do not respond to it well. Furthermore, stimulated treatment could be associated with reduced ovarian response. We describe three successful cases involving patients of advanced age from whom dominant follicles were retrieved during the natural cycle.

Materials and methods

All patients had failed to bear children through stimulated in vitro fertilization. In case 1, a follicle was retrieved after a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist was used to induce luteinizing hormone surge. In cases 2 and 3, pregnancy was achieved via completely natural cycles.

Results

One embryo was transferred every 16 cycles. Ongoing pregnancy—defined as pregnancy progressing beyond gestation week 9—was established in three cycles. The patients successfully delivered and had uneventful neonatal courses.

Conclusion

Mature oocyte retrieval followed by natural rather than stimulated in vitro fertilization might be a potential treatment for patients of advanced age when stimulated in vitro fertilization has been repeatedly unsuccessful.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Steptoe PC, Edwards RG. Birth after the reimplantation of a human embryo. Lancet 1978;7:366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Lim JH, Yang SH, Chian RC. New alternative to infertility treatment for women without ovarian stimulation. Reprod Biomed Online 2007;14:547–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Staessen C, Platteau P, Van Assche E, Michiels A, Tournaye H, Camus M, et al. Comparison of blastocyst transfer with or without preimplantation genetic diagnosis for aneuploidy screening in couples with advanced maternal age. A prospective randomized controlled trial. Hum Reprod 2004;19:2849–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Teramoto S, Kato O. Minimal ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate: a large-scale retrospective study. Reprod Biomed Online 2007;15:134–48.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Strauss JF, Barbieri RL. Yen and Jaffe’s reproductive endocrinology. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Humaidan P, Bredkjær HE, Bungum L, Bungum M, Grøndahl ML, Westergaard L, et al. GnRH agonist (buserelin) or hCG for ovulation induction in GnRH antagonist IVF/ICSI cycles: a prospective randomized study. Hum Reprod 2005;20:1213–20.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Kolibianakis EM, Schultze-Mosgau A, Schroer A, van Steirteghem A, Devroey A, Diedrich K, et al. A lower ongoing pregnancy rate can be expected when GnRH agonist is used for triggering final oocyte maturation instead of HCG in patients undergoing IVF with GnRH antagonists. Hum Reprod 2005;20:2887–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gonen Y, Balakier H, Powell W, Casper RF. Use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist to trigger follicular maturation for in vitro fertilization. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1990;71:918–22.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Damewood MD, Shen W, Zacur HA, Schlaff WD, Rock JA, Wallach EE. Disappearance of exogenously administered human chorionic gonadotropin. Fertil Steril 1989;52:398–400.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Fauser BC, de Jong D, Olivennes F, Wramsby H, Tay C, Itskovitz-Eldor J, et al. Endocrine profiles after triggering of final oocyte maturation with GnRH agonist after cotreatment with the GnRH antagonist ganirelix during ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002;87:709–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Trokoudes KM, Minbattiwalla MB, Kalogirou L, Pantelides K, Mitsingas P, Sokratous A, et al. Controlled natural cycle IVF with antagonist use and blastocyst transfer. Reprod Biomed Online 2005;11:685–9.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Pelinck MJ, Hoek A, Simons AH, Heineman MJ. Efficacy of natural cycle IVF: a review of the literature. Hum Reprod Updat 2002;8:129–39.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Nargund G, Waterstone J, Bland J, Philips Z, Parsons J, Campbell S. Cumulative conception and live birth rates in natural (unstimulated) IVF cycles. Hum Reprod 2001;16:259–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Assisted reproductive technology (ART). Atlanta, GA: CDC; 2006. http://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Andersen AN, Gianaroli L, Felberbaum R, de Mouzon J, Nygren KG. The European IVF-monitoring programme (EIM), European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE): Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2001. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Hum Reprod 2005;20:1158–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Elizur SE, Lerner-Geva L, Levron J, Shulman A, Bider D, Dor J. Cumulative live birth rate following in vitro fertilization: study of 5,310 cycles. Gynecol Endocrinol 2006;22:25–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Lintsen AM, Eijkemans MJ, Hunault CC, Bouwmans CA, Hakkaart L, Habbema JD, et al. Predicting ongoing pregnancy chances after IVF and ICSI: a national prospective study. Hum Reprod 2007;22:2455–62.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Munne S, Magli C, Adler A, Wright G, de Boer K, Mortimer D, et al. Treatment-related chromosome abnormalities in human embryos. Hum Reprod 1997;12:780–4.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Edwards RG. IVF, IVM, natural cycle IVF, minimal stimulation IVF—time for a rethink. Reprod Biomed Online 2007;15:106–19.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the staff of Kato Ladies Clinic.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Toshiki Matsuura

    Present address: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, 431-3192, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kato Ladies Clinic, 7-20-3, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan

    Toshiki Matsuura, Yuji Takehara, Hirotsune Kaijima & Osamu Kato

  2. Shinbashi Yume Clinic, Tokyo, Japan

    Shokichi Teramoto & Osamu Kato

Authors
  1. Toshiki Matsuura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuji Takehara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hirotsune Kaijima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shokichi Teramoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Osamu Kato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Toshiki Matsuura.

Additional information

Capsule We describe three successful pregnancies and deliveries achieved via natural IVF cycles: the patients were older than 37 years with repeated failures by stimulated IVF.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matsuura, T., Takehara, Y., Kaijima, H. et al. Natural IVF cycles may be desirable for women with repeated failures by stimulated IVF cycles. J Assist Reprod Genet 25, 163–167 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9204-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-008-9204-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation