Objective: To determine whether uterine vasculature is affected by age using oocyte donation as an in vivo model.
Design: Prospective longitudinal study in which recipients were grouped according to age. They underwent a successful oocyte donation cycle, and single pregnancies were followed during the first trimester by color Doppler ultrasound in uterine arteries.
Setting: Oocyte donation and IVF program at the Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad.
Interventions: Serum E2, P, and hCG levels in single ovum donation pregnancies; pulsatility and resistance indexes in uterine arteries during initial pregnancy.
Results: Similar serum levels of E2, P, and hCG in both groups of patients were observed. There was no difference between groups regarding the flow indexes analyzed.
Conclusions: The increased incidence of early pregnancy losses observed in patients > 40 years cannot be attributed to defective response of uterine vasculature to exogenous hormone replacement. Thus, uterine aging does not appear to be a factor influencing the poor reproductive performance of women with advancing age.