The midluteal decline in serum estradiol levels is drastic but not deleterious for implantation after in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in patients with normal or high responses.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of the peak E(2) level and its midluteal decline on IVF-ET outcome in a group of normal- and high-responding patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of IVF-ET data.

SETTING

Tertiary-care, university-affiliated teaching hospital.

PATIENT(S): A total of 100 patients aged </=38 years and receiving up to three embryos per transfer who underwent a similar standard controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for IVF-ET.

INTERVENTION(S): Morning blood was collected on days 0 (hCG day), +9, and +14.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Treatment cycle hormonal characteristics and percent midluteal E(2) decline in conception and nonconception cycles.

RESULT(S): Among all cycles, a mean decline of 95.0% in serum E(2) was observed at the midluteal phase. No significant differences were found in various parameters comparing conception with nonconception cycles. Occurrence of conception did not correlate with the absolute E(2) level or with percent E(2) decline in good and high responders. Early spontaneous abortion occurred more frequently in high responders with >98% E(2) decline; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSION(S): Multifactorial analysis refutes the negative role of supraphysiologic levels of E(2) on the day of hCG administration or its dramatic decline at the midluteal phase on the success rate after embryo transfer. A possibly increased rate of early spontaneous abortion in the high-response group warrants further verification.