Objective: To compare the effectiveness of donor oocyte in IVF-ET in patients with premature ovarian failure (POF) versus those (non-POF) with other indications for donor oocyte IVF-ET.
Design: Retrospective comparative clinical study.
Setting: University-based IVF-ET facility.
Patients: Eighty-six donor oocyte IVF-ET cycles from 32 POF patients (39 cycles) and 38 non-POF patients (47 cycles).
Interventions: Fertile oocyte donors, age 19 to 38 years, were given luteal phase GnRH agonist, gonadotropins, and HCG. Recipients were given transdermal 17 beta-E2 and P in oil.
Main outcome measures: Donor and recipient age, characteristics of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, oocytes retrieved, embryos frozen and transferred, and percentage with male factor infertility, fertilization rate, implantation rate, and clinical pregnancy rate (PR) per cycle and per transfer.
Results: Given limitations of sample size, there were no detectable differences in clinical PR per cycle and per transfer, fertilization rate, and implantation rate between POF and non-POF groups despite recognizable differences in recipient age and degree of male factor infertility.
Conclusions: Donor oocyte IVF-ET success rates were not different in patients with and without POF. Age-related changes in oocyte quality, rather than uterine senescence, is a major factor for the age-related decline in fertility.