A study to determine whether serum follicle-stimulating hormone can be a marker for ovarian hyperresponse to follicle-maturing drugs for in vitro fertilization.

The study presented herein evaluated whether 26 of 122 consecutive women who tend to hyper-respond (serum estradiol >4,000 pg/ml or >30 follicles) following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization have higher serum FSH levels at certain critical stages during the follicular phase. Baseline day-2 serum FSH and blood levels taken on days 5 and 6 of human menopausal gonadotropin therapy were not different in the hyper-responders from those responding normally. The only significant difference in serum FSH was seen on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin where it was actually lower in the hyper-responders. Thus, there does not appear to be a critical serum FSH level which would dictate a decrease in gonadotropins to prevent hyper-response.