Author(s)

L. N. Lim¹, P. R. Supramaniam¹, M. Mittal¹, E. A. Linton², E. McVeigh²

¹Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
²Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Women’s Centre, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.

Purpose: Can Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH) levels in follicular fluid predict outcomes following assisted reproductive treatment (ART) cycles? Methods: Prospective cohort study of 50 women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles over a two month study period. All patients were treated on the long stimulation protocol; follicular fluid was aspirated and pooled for each patient. The samples were processed appropriately and assayed using CRH radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results: This study confirmed that CRH was present in follicular fluid. The average level detected was 173 ± 9 pg/mL (mean ± standard error of mean [SEM]). The data suggests a positive correlation of CRH follicular fluid levels greater than 145 pg/mL with successful ART outcomes. Conclusion: The data indicates a positive correlation between ART outcomes and the presence of follicular fluid CRH levels greater than 145 pg/mL. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and pooling of follicular fluid per patient. Furthermore, the pooling of follicular fluid is not representative of CRH levels in an individual follicle, and thus, mature oocyte. This study serves as a reminder to what has previously been hypothesised.

Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Follicles, Mature Oocytes

Lim, L. , Supramaniam, P. , Mittal, M. , Linton, E. and McVeigh, E. (2017) Follicular Fluid Cortisol Releasing Hormone (CRH) Levels and Assisted Reproductive Treatment (ART) Outcomes. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 7, 1271-1281. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2017.713130.