Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology (CEOG) is published by IMR Press from Volume 47 Issue 1 (2020). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with S.O.G.
A borderline form of empty follicle syndrome. Case report
Background: Empty follicle syndrome is known as the failure of oocyte retrieval despite the adequate response to ovarian stimulation. It is a rare phenomenon in in vitro fertilization and borderline forms of this syndrome have also been described. Materials and methods: Two cycles in the same patient were stimulated with GnRH agonist/hMG and recFSH; the first followed the long and the second followed the short protocol.
Results: There was a sudden drop in estradiol levels while the ovaries contained a large number of small and medium sized follicles. hCG was administered and oocyte retrieval was performed 36 hours later. There was no indication of low hCG levels. For the first cycle two oocytes were collected: one degenerated and one of poor quality. The second cycle resulted in total failure of oocyte retrieval. Conclusion: The two cycles were classified as borderline forms of empty follicle syndrome. The possible aetiology is discussed.