[Superovulation-induced transient hyperprolactinemia in human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer]

To examine the effects of transient hyperprolactinemia on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, 61 cycles in 50 euprolactinemic ovulatory women with irreparable tubal diseases were stimulated with clomiphene (CC) alone or CC and human menopausal gonadotropin followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Serum prolactin (PRL) increased after hCG administration with peak values of 45.4 +/- 4.2 ng/ml on the day of laparoscopic oocyte aspiration. The highest serum estradiol (E2) concentration was found on the day before PRL peak and serum progesterone (P) began to increase after hCG injection concomitant with the PRL rise. The group having 50 ng/ml or more of PRL (34 cycles) had significantly higher levels of E2 during preovulatory and early luteal phase compared to those of the group having less than 50 ng/ml of PRL (27 cycles) but there was no significant difference between the P levels in the two groups. In the higher PRL group 72 (62.1%) of 116 collected oocytes were fertilized and 6 (20.0%) conceived. In the lower PRL group 45 oocytes (58.4%) of 77 were fertilized and 3 (12.5%) became pregnant. These data suggest that elevated serum PRL concentrations may have no effect on fertilization of oocytes in vitro or embryonic development.