Progesterone levels on oocyte retrieval day can predict the quantity of viable embryos but not pregnancy outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine whether serum progesterone (P) concentration on the day of oocyte retrieval (OR) affects the quantity of viable embryos and impacts the outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A total of 289 women who underwent ICSI cycles after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were divided in two groups based on P level (<11.7 and ≥ 11.7 ng/ml) on OR day. Subjects did not differ significantly with respect to age, basal follicle-stimulating hormone levels, body mass index, or estradiol levels on day of administration of human chorionic gonadotropin or OR day. Women with ICSI cycles that had high P levels tended to have more retrieved oocytes, zygotes and embryos than women with lower levels, but the differences did not approach significance. However, the former group with higher P levels did have a significantly greater number of viable embryos (p = 0.003). Finally, the two groups did not show differences in pregnancy outcome in a new ICSI cycle. The study suggests that serum P levels on OR day are related to the quality of viable embryos but not to pregnancy outcome in fresh ICSI cycles.