Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Oocyte donation and assisted reproductive technology (ART) give women with ovarian failure, advanced reproductive age, inheritable disorders or recurrent implantation failure, the ability to conceive. The success of oocyte donation is reportedly influenced by multiple parameters of the oocyte donor and recipient. The objective of this study was to evaluate the donor and recipient variables affecting the outcome of oocyte donation.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we analyzed 51 oocyte donation cycles of 45 women in an in vitro fertilization clinic. Data collected included age, body mass index, endomet-rial thickness, cycling and gravidity of recipients and the age of donors.

Results: The clinical pregnancy rate was 40% per recipient and 35% per cycle resulting in 9 singleton, 7 twin and 2 triplet gestations. Embryo implantation rate was 27%. Oocyte fertilization rates among patients who had become impregnated and those who had not were 75% and 79%, respectively of 18 pregnancies, 15 culminated in a live birth (33% live birth rate). There was no significant relationship between incidence of pregnancy and mean age, BMI, gravidity, cyclicity of recipients and age of donors. There was a significant difference between the endometrial thickness of patients who became pregnant and those who did not (p=0.048). The number of transferred embryos was positively associated with pregnancy (p=0.006).

Conclusion: The factor that most reliably predicts the outcome of oocyte donation cycles is oocyte recipient endometrial thickness. Donor age from 20-34 years dose not affect clinical pregnancy rates. Donors in their early 30's are considered to be the best candidates for oocyte donation.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder affecting the whole body systems including the female reproductive organs. Moreover, diabetes is an important cause of infertility. Metformin is commonly used to control hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes. This study was done to evaluate the ultrastructural changes of ovarian follicles in diabetic rats and their response to metformin.
Methods: Thirty-six adult Sprague-Dawley female rats (170-210 g) were studied in three groups (Control, diabetic and metformin-treated rats). In the second and third groups, diabetes was induced by injection of streptozotocin (45 mg/kg). The rats in the third group were later treated by metformin monohydrochloride (100 mg/kg). At the end of the experiment, rats were sacrificed and their right ovaries were observed under transmission electron microscope. Quantitative data were analyzed by student t-test in SAS software.
Results: In comparison with the control group, significant decreases in zona pellucida thickness and the mean number of microvilli were observed (respectively, P<0.01 and P<0.001) in diabetic rats. Significant decreases in zona pellucida thickness were also observed in metformin-treated rats (P<0.05) but changes in the number of microvilli were non-significant. The number of organelles in oocyte cytoplasm was higher and they were natural or natural-looking in metformin-treated rats versus the diabetic ones. Reduction in the number of mitochondria and their ballooning cristae were of the most noticeable changes in diabetic rats.
Conclusion: Diabetes decreases the number of microvilli and oocyte organelles and diminishes zona pellucida thickness leading to structural changes in the organelles but metformin could improve the aforesaid conditions.

Background: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is secreted from granulosa cells of growing follicles and is a useful marker of ovarian reserve. Fertility in women is determined by the quality and quantity of follicle pool and ovarian follicular reserve positively correlates with AMH. In this study we aimed to determine if AMH can predict ovarian response in IVF treatments.
Methods: In this retrospective observational study undertaken in Mehr Institute during 2010 to 2011, we studied the medical records of 101 patients and recorded the concentrations of AMH, day two or three FSH, LH, basal estradiol (E2), E2 on day of HCG administration and the number of metaphase II oocytes. Having undergone ovarian hyperstimulation, the women were divided into three groups: poor responders (retrieved oocytes ?3), normal responders (retrieved oocytes 4 to 15) and high responders (retrieved oocytes ?16).
Results: Overall, 20% of patients were defined as poor responders, 71% as average responders and 10% as high responders. There were significant differences in the concentration of AMH, E2 on day of HCG administration, FSH, the number of metaphase II oocytes and age between the three groups. MII oocyte count correlated positively with AMH (r=0.487), basal E2 (r=0.275) and LH (r=0.07) but it did negatively with FSH (r=-0.26) and age (r=-0.04). The areas under curve for AMH, FSH, LH, E2 and age were 0.799, 0.32, 0.429, 0.558 and 0.304, respectively. We determined the 0.85 ng/ml AMH concentration as the cut-off point with 71% specificity and 79% sensitivity for the prediction of poor responders. 
Conclusion: anti-müllerian hormone is an appropriate predicator of ovarian response following induction of ovulation.