The presence of ovarian endometriomas is associated with a reduced responsiveness to gonadotropins
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Surgical Techniques to Optimize Ovarian Reserve during Laparoscopic Cystectomy for Ovarian Endometrioma
Published on: January 22, 2022
Edgardo Somigliana1, Mirco Infantino, Francesca Benedetti
1Infertility Unit, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Neonatology, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli and Regina Elena, Milan, Italy. dadosomigliana@yahoo.it
Objective:
To clarify whether the presence of ovarian endometriomas is associated with a reduced responsiveness to ovarian hyperstimulation.
Design:
Observational study.
Setting:
University teaching hospital.
Patient(S):
Women selected for in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) cycles who were found to have unilateral ovarian endometriomas and who did not undergo previous ovarian surgery.
Intervention(S):
Ovarian hyperstimulation using gonadotropins.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Number of codominant follicles (mean diameter >15 mm) in the affected and in the contralateral intact gonads.
Result(S):
Thirty-six patients were enrolled. They underwent 56 IVF-ICSI cycles. The number of codominant follicles in the intact and affected ovaries were 4.0 +/- 2.2 and 3.0 +/- 1.7, respectively (P=.01). This difference corresponded to a mean reduction (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 25% (6%-44%). This deleterious effect was more evident in women with larger cysts, in those with more than one cyst, and in those who were more responsive to ovarian hyperstimulation.
Conclusion(S):
The presence of ovarian endometriomas is associated with a reduced responsiveness to gonadotropins.
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