Hormone used during IVF could decrease a woman's chances of having a baby

November 25, 2015  22:38

High levels of a common hormone used during IVF could decrease a woman's chances of having a baby, a new study has warned.

As the total dose of the follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH, increased, researchers noted the live birth rate fell, by as much as 20 per cent.

The hormone is vital, in stimulating the ovaries to grow follicles - the fluid-filled sac in which eggs develop in the ovaries. 

Professor James Ireland, one of the co-authors at Michigan State University, said: 'The study answers the question of whether or not more FSH is detrimental to the survival of the embryo.

'As the dosage of FSH increased, live birth rates decreased by as much as 15 to 20 per cent.' 

The study, recently published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, is the largest of its kind to analyse more than 650,000 IVF cycles in women across the US.

Its findings support other smaller studies, and contradicts the traditional thought that the more FSH given during IVF treatment, the greater the probability of a woman conceiving.

FSH is produced by the pituitary gland. 

The hormone controls the ovaries in women and testes in men and is essential for reproduction. 

Doctors use FSH to stimulate as many follicles as possible in a woman's ovaries to grow, so a large number of eggs can be recovered for IVF.

The researchers discovered the decline in live birth rate linked to high levels of FSH, still occurred regardless of a woman's age, health, weight, or the length of treatment.

Professor Ireland said: 'Our driving force for this research was not only to investigate whether high doses of FSH could impact embryo survival, but to also develop markers in future studies for clinicians to use and determine when an FSH dosage becomes too much.

'Ultimately, they may want to know how to avoid higher amounts of the hormone.'

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