Comparison of pregnancy rates following in vitro fertilization?embryo transfer between the donors and the recipients in a donor oocyte program

Abstract

Our in vitro fertilization (IVF) program provides a unique opportunity to evaluate influences of hormonal milieu on pregnancy outcome, by using a shared pool of oocytes obtained by donors (in exchange for financial assistance). The study presented herein evaluated 38 retrieval cycles (28 oocyte donors/22 recipients). No difference in mean number of embryos transferred was seen (2.7 in the donors vs 2.8 in the recipients). However, a statistically significant difference was seen in the pregnancy rates per retrieval (10.5% donors vs 29% recipients) and per transfer (4/35, 11.1%, vs 11/34, 32.3%). Abortion rates were similar (25% donor, 27.2% recipients). These data suggest that other reports of higher pregnancy rates from donor oocyte programs may not be due exclusively to better-quality oocytes. Possibly a negative effect of hyperstimulation or adverse endometrial environment of the donor (possible chronic endometritis) may explain these data.