In this retrospective study, we investigate the relationship between embryo arrest and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) during in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). In this study, 667 subjects were enrolled, including 330 patients with PCOS and 337 subjects without PCOS. The subjects underwent in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer (IVF/ICSI-ET) cycles at the Reproductive Medical Centre of Henan Provincial Hospital from January 2009 to December 2012. Four protocols were used to stimulate the ovaries, including long protocol, super-long down-regulation protocol, short protocol and antagonist protocol. Oocytes were retrieved using transvaginal ultrasound guidance. Pronuclei were checked on the next morning after IVF/ICSI. Cleavage stage embryo was assessed after 62-66 hours. Women with PCOS had significantly elevated body mass index, basal luteinizing hormone, estradiol and testosterone compared with normal women. Basal Follicle stimulating hormone level in PCOS patients was lower compared with that in control group. After IVF-ET, PCOS patients had more available oocytes than subjects in control group. PCOS patients had slightly lower fertilization rate than the controls in IVF cycles, but in ICSI cycles, fertilization rate in PCOS patients was significantly higher than that in controls. For either IVF or ICSI, the embryo arrest rate was not changed by PCOS. Moreover, there was no significant difference in embryo arrest rate between both groups adopting different stimulation protocols. Interestingly, embryo arrest rate was not correlated with testosterone for patients in PCOS group. The data indicated that patients with PCOS had successful early embryo arrest during IVF-ET.
Keywords: Polycystic ovary syndrome; embryo arrest; embryo transfer; in vitro fertilization; intracytoplasmic sperm injection; testosterone.