Outcomes of Secondary Ovulation Induction Following Failed Oocyte Pick-Up in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Cycles: A...

Failed oocyte pick-up (FOPU) is the absence of oocyte retrieval from mature follicles after ovulation induction in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The incidence of FOPU is rare in IVF cycles.

This retrospective cohort single-center study compared a 36-hour time interval between a second trigger and ovum pick-up (OPU) in FOPU and a 24-hour time interval between a second trigger and OPU in FOPU. In total, 62 couples with FOPU between July 2011 and April 2024 were included in the study. Of the 62 patients included, 49 underwent a 36-hour time interval between trigger and OPU (group 1), and 13 couples underwent a 24-hour time interval between trigger and OPU (group 2). The primary outcome measured was oocyte retrieval, and the secondary outcomes were fertilization, blastocyst, and pregnancy rates.

We compared 49 patients from group 1 and 13 from group 2. After a 36-hour time interval, oocyte retrieval in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2 (8.3 ± 5.7 versus 2.7 ± 3.8, p < 0.001). Furthermore, fertilization, blastocyst, and pregnancy rates were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2, respectively (61% versus 13.8%, p < 0.001; 32.8% versus 0%, p < 0.001; and 37.8% versus 0%, p < 0.001).

Strong evidence for overcoming primary impaired oocyte retrieval is still lacking in the literature. However, a 36-hour time interval between a second trigger and OPU seems ideal for FOPU cases. Therefore, communication between the physician and embryologist is crucial during OPU to detect such cases, especially in couples with a history of FOPU.