Prediction of oocyte recovery rate by transvaginal ultrasonography and color Doppler imaging before human chorionic gonadotropin administration in in vitro fertilization cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To detect and quantify follicular vascularity before hCG administration in women undergoing IVF-ET. To correlate follicular vascularity with the oocyte recovery rate after direct follicle aspiration.
DESIGN: A prospective, longitudinal study of consecutive women undergoing IVF-ET at the assisted conception unit of King's College Hospital, London and having at least 20 follicles between the two ovaries on the day of hCG administration.
INTERVENTIONS: An Acuson 128XP1O computed sonography system (Acuson Ltd., Uxbridge, United Kingdom) was used to measure follicular diameters, indices of blood flow impedance (pulsatility index), peak systolic velocities (Vmax), and the proportion of follicles demonstrating pulsatile vascularity, i.e., follicular vascularity index. For the purpose of analysis, each woman was classified into one of four groups (I to IV) based on their oocyte recovery rate.
RESULTS: The mean age, duration of infertility, Dmax, pulsatility index, and Vmax were similar in the four groups, but the follicular vascularity index was higher in the groups with the highest oocyte recovery rates. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the follicular vascularity index and the oocyte recovery rate.
CONCLUSION: The follicular vascularity index correlates positively with oocyte recovery rates. Detection and quantification of follicular vascularity with color Doppler imaging can therefore be used to predict oocyte recovery rate and hence may be useful in determining the most appropriate time to administer hCG to optimize oocyte recovery rates.