[Urinary luteinizing hormone surge and outcome of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer].

This study was based on 150 in vitro fertilization cycles carried out between June 1991 and July 1992. All the patients had blocked or dysfunctional fallopian tubes as the cause of infertility. Clomiphene citrate, human menopausal gonadotropin and hCG were used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. The results showed that an urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) surge (LH > 40 IU/L) occurred in 41 cycles (27.33%), a high LH level (LH = 40 IU/L) in 16 (10.67%), and normal (LH < 40 IU/L) LH level in 93 cycles, before hCG injection. The average number of oocytes recovered was not affected by the occurrence of a spontaneous LH surge, but the cleavage rate of the fertilized eggs was significantly lower than that in the cycles without LH surge and the rate of clinical pregnancy was also lower, although of no statistical significance. Our results demonstrated that the LH surge had an adverse effect on the egg quality and therefore would probably reduce the chances of pregnancy success.