News | Swedish Study Confirms IVF Success Rates Are About 30% Lower After Removal of One Ovary
A systematic review and meta-analysis by a team at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet found that women who had undergone unilateral oophorectomy had significantly lower pregnancy and live birth rates after in vitro fertilization (IVF) than women with both ovaries intact. The findings were published in Fertility and Sterility.
Whether removing one ovary affects female fertility has long been debated. The traditional view held that the remaining ovary could compensate and maintain ovulation, limiting the effect on IVF outcomes. In this large meta-analysis, however, Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg, Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology-Pathology at Karolinska Institutet and Consultant in Reproductive Oncology at Karolinska University Hospital, and her team confirmed for the first time that unilateral oophorectomy adversely affects fertility outcomes.
"Our meta-analysis shows that compared with women who have both ovaries, women with only one ovary have about a 30% lower chance of pregnancy and live birth with IVF. This is the first time we have clearly shown that the surgery adversely affects female fertility."
—Professor Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg
The researchers identified more than 3,000 relevant papers worldwide and selected 18 eligible studies published between 1984 and 2018. The analysis included 1,057 IVF attempts among women with one ovary and 45,813 IVF attempts among women with two ovaries. Five studies were included in the live birth analysis and 15 in the pregnancy analysis. Overall, both pregnancy and live birth rates were about 30% lower among women with one ovary than in the control group.
Professor Rodriguez-Wallberg said, "In some situations, such as malignancy, surgical removal of an ovary is necessary. But we need to give greater attention to—and inform patients about—the surgery's potential effect on future fertility. Because the egg reserve is already limited, fertility preservation options such as egg freezing should be discussed before surgery for some patients."
Unilateral oophorectomy was previously thought to have little effect on fertility mainly because earlier studies had small sample sizes and insufficient statistical power to reach significant conclusions. The team's next step is to investigate how ovary removal affects other health measures, including whether reduced hormone secretion increases the risk of related conditions.
The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation, Radiumhemmet cancer research funds, and Region Stockholm.
News | Swedish Study Confirms IVF Success Rates Are About 30% Lower After Removal of One Ovary
News | Swedish Study Confirms IVF Success Rates Are About 30% Lower After Removal of One Ovary
A systematic review and meta-analysis by a team at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet found that women who had undergone unilateral oophorectomy had significantly lower pregnancy and live birth rates after in vitro fertilization (IVF) than women with both ovaries intact. The findings were published in Fertility and Sterility.
Whether removing one ovary affects female fertility has long been debated. The traditional view held that the remaining ovary could compensate and maintain ovulation, limiting the effect on IVF outcomes. In this large meta-analysis, however, Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg, Associate Professor in the Department of Oncology-Pathology at Karolinska Institutet and Consultant in Reproductive Oncology at Karolinska University Hospital, and her team confirmed for the first time that unilateral oophorectomy adversely affects fertility outcomes.
"Our meta-analysis shows that compared with women who have both ovaries, women with only one ovary have about a 30% lower chance of pregnancy and live birth with IVF. This is the first time we have clearly shown that the surgery adversely affects female fertility."
—Professor Kenny Rodriguez-Wallberg
The researchers identified more than 3,000 relevant papers worldwide and selected 18 eligible studies published between 1984 and 2018. The analysis included 1,057 IVF attempts among women with one ovary and 45,813 IVF attempts among women with two ovaries. Five studies were included in the live birth analysis and 15 in the pregnancy analysis. Overall, both pregnancy and live birth rates were about 30% lower among women with one ovary than in the control group.
Professor Rodriguez-Wallberg said, "In some situations, such as malignancy, surgical removal of an ovary is necessary. But we need to give greater attention to—and inform patients about—the surgery's potential effect on future fertility. Because the egg reserve is already limited, fertility preservation options such as egg freezing should be discussed before surgery for some patients."
Unilateral oophorectomy was previously thought to have little effect on fertility mainly because earlier studies had small sample sizes and insufficient statistical power to reach significant conclusions. The team's next step is to investigate how ovary removal affects other health measures, including whether reduced hormone secretion increases the risk of related conditions.
The study was funded by the Swedish Research Council, Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation, Radiumhemmet cancer research funds, and Region Stockholm.
Source:
Compiled from online sources