Comparison between steroid hormones and Cortisol in serum and follicular fluid in stimulated and unstimulated cycles of in vitro fertilization patients

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of the concentrations of serum and follicular fluid steroids and Cortisol levels on the establishment of pregnancies in in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Our study group consisted of 42 women (group A) who received gonadotropins for induction of ovulation for IVF. The control group included 23 women (group B) who underwent in vitro fertilization without stimulation.

Serum estradiol and progesterone levels were significantly higher in group A than in group B. Serum and follicular fluid Cortisol levels were similar in both groups A and B. There was no significant difference in the fertilization rates of the stimulated or unstimulated cycles. However, there were no pregnancies in group B whereas there was a 28.5% pregnancy rate in group A.

There were no correlations between the estradiol, progesterone and Cortisol levels when compared to the oocyte maturity and the fertilization rates in both groups of patients.

Key Words:

• Gonadotropins
• Ivf
• Cortisol
• Steroid Hormones
• Gnrh Agonists