Use of Follicular Output Rate to Predict Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Outcome

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Infertility Research
• Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Background:

• Follicular Output Rate (FORT) is a proposed indicator for assessing follicular response to recombinant FSH.
• FORT shows promise as a qualitative marker for ovarian function.
• The study aimed to evaluate FORT's predictive value for oocyte competence, embryo quality, and pregnancy after ICSI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if Follicular Output Rate (FORT) can predict oocyte competence.
• To assess FORT's ability to predict embryo quality.
• To evaluate FORT as a predictor of clinical pregnancy following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Main Methods:

• A prospective study of 282 infertile women undergoing ICSI.
• Follicular Output Rate (FORT) calculated as (pre-ovulatory follicle count/antral follicle count)×100.
• Linear regression analysis used to assess FORT's predictive value for clinical pregnancy.

Main Results:

• A clinical pregnancy rate of 35.8% (101/282) was observed.
• Significantly higher FORT values were found in women with positive pregnancy tests (P=0.0001).
• FORT independently predicted the number of retrieved, mature, fertilized, and cleaved embryos.

Conclusions:

• Follicular Output Rate (FORT) is a valuable predictor of oocyte competence.
• FORT provides insights into embryo development, including cleaved embryo count.
• FORT is a significant predictor of clinical pregnancy rates in ICSI cycles.