The Clinical Significance of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels Measured at Ovulation Triggering Day in Intrauterine Insemination Cycles.

Kim,  Hyun Jun; Jee,  Byung Chul; Suh,  Chang Suk; Kim,  Seok Hyun; Choi,  Young Min; Kim,  Jung Gu; Moon,  Shin Yong

Original Article

Korean Journal of Fertility and Sterility 2007;34(1):33-39.
Published online March 1, 2007.

The Clinical Significance of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels Measured at Ovulation Triggering Day in Intrauterine Insemination Cycles.

Hyun Jun Kim, Byung Chul Jee, Chang Suk Suh, Seok Hyun Kim, Young Min Choi, Jung Gu Kim, Shin Yong Moon

¹Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
³Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate whether serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) measured at ovulation triggering day reflect ovarian response in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. METHODS: Forty-nine infertile women who undergoing superovulation and IUI were included. Superovulation was performed using clomiphene citrate (100 mg/d on day 3~7) in combination with human menopausal gonadotropin (150 IU every other day starting on day 5). Serum samples were obtained on the day of hCG administration and the levels of VEGF-A and estradiol were measured. The numbers of mature follicle > or =17 mm in diameter were also counted. RESULTS: Serum VEGF-A levels did not correlate with the numbers of mature follicle count nor serum estradiol levels. Serum estradiol level was positively associated with mature follicle count. Serum VEGF-A levels tended to be lower in women with mature follicle count less than three or women with more than five. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that serum VEGF-A levels do not have an association with superovulation outcome in IUI cycles. However, a tendency of lower VEGF-A level in poor and high responder suggests that those with extreme response to superovulation may be related with abnormal angiogenesis. Further studies should be warranted in larger populations.

Key Words: Vascular endothelial growth factor; Intrauterine insemination; Superovulation