The Effect of Trigger-to-Retrieval Time Interval on Assisted Reproductive Technology Outcomes in Patients with Poor
Fatemeh Sarvi1,2, Masoome Jabarpour2, Ashraf Aleyasin1,2
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
The timing of oocyte retrieval after the oocyte maturation trigger is a critical factor influencing the clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies (ART). This study examined how different time intervals of 34 and 36 hours between trigger administration and oocyte pickup (OPU) influence on ART outcomes in patients with poor ovarian response (POR).
Materials And Methods:
This prospective randomized controlled study enrolled 217 women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles between April 2024 and March 2025. All participants received a GnRH antagonist protocol, followed by a dual trigger for final oocyte maturation. The cycles were stratified into two groups based on the time interval between trigger administration and OPU at 34 and 36 hours. Comparative analyses were conducted to evaluate the outcomes between the two groups.
Results:
Throughout the trial, no significant statistical differences were observed between the intervention and control groups concerning baseline clinical and demographic characteristics, except for the antral follicle count (AFC) at baseline. The findings revealed that the 34-hour OPU group exhibited a significantly higher number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte maturity rate, fertilization rate, and number of high-quality embryos compared to the 36-hour group (P0.05). Furthermore, pregnancy outcomes were most favorable in the 34-hour group (P0.05). After adjusting for AFC, all observed differences remained statistically significant, with the exception of the fertilization rate.
Conclusions:
Our findings suggest that in POR patients, a 34-hour OPU interval with dual triggering significantly improves fertilization rates, embryo quality, biochemical and chemical pregnancy rates compared to 36 hours. This timing adjustment may enhance oocyte maturation and optimize ART success rates.
