Timing of oocyte maturation and egg collection during controlled ovarian stimulation: a randomized controlled trial evaluating manual and automated measurements of follicle diameter.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of a new automated technique of follicle measurement (Sono automated volume calculation [SonoAVC]) on the timing of oocyte maturation and subsequent oocyte retrieval.

DESIGN

Prospective randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

University-based Assisted Conception Unit.

PATIENT(S): Seventy-two women undergoing their first cycle of assisted reproduction treatment.

INTERVENTION(S): The timing of final follicle maturation and oocyte retrieval based on follicle tracking with use of either conventional two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound or SonoAVC.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The number of mature oocytes retrieved and clinical pregnancy rate.

RESULT(S): The number of the mature oocytes collected (10.70 +/- 6.08 vs. 11.43 +/- 6.17), the number of fertilized oocytes (7.27 +/- 4.78 vs. 7.97 +/- 5.25), and the clinical pregnancy rates (42% vs. 43%) were similar with both 2D ultrasound and SonoAVC methods.

CONCLUSION(S): Automated follicle tracking using SonoAVC identifies a comparable number of follicles to real-time 2D ultrasound in this preliminary study. Timing final follicle maturation and egg retrieval on the basis of these automated measures does not appear to improve the clinical outcome of assisted reproduction treatment.