Objective: To evaluate the effect of baseline ovarian cysts at the onset of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF) on cycle outcome.
Design, patients: A review of 82 IVF cycles in 29 women in which each patient served as her own control. The stimulation regimen for each patient remained constant over time. Each woman had at least one cycle in which an ovarian cyst measuring 14 to 53 mm was present at baseline and one cycle in which no such cyst was present.
Setting: The In Vitro Fertilization Program at Yale University School of Medicine.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in cycle cancellation rates, baseline serum estradiol (E2), peak serum E2, number of follicles present at retrieval, number of oocytes retrieved, or fertilization rate between groups. Stimulation regimen, cyst size, and age were unrelated to outcome. The number of cysts present at baseline correlated positively with the number of follicles present at retrieval.
Conclusion: Baseline ovarian cysts in the setting of a low baseline E2 level do not affect the clinical response to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in IVF cycles.