Saliva cortisol levels and subjective stress are not associated with number of oocytes after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization

Objective: To establish an association between the number of oocytes retrieved after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) and saliva cortisol (F) levels, as well as subjective stress, in women undergoing their first IVF cycle. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Academic research institution. Patient(s): Women with primary or secondary infertility undergoing IVF. Intervention(s): Fertility problem inventory (FPI) questionnaire and measurement of morning and evening saliva F by RIA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Number of oocytes and stress, defined as low morning F and/or a positive FPI result. Result(s): Eighty-three women provided saliva specimens, 66 of whom also filled in the FPI. The median number of oocytes was 8.4 (range 0-26). A state of stress was observed in 38/83 (46%) women. The mean number of oocytes was not significantly different between women with and without stress (7.3 +/- 4.3 vs. 8.9 +/- 6.9, respectively). In a multivariate analysis, stress (odds ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval 0.03-225.7) and morning F (odds ratio 0.9; 95% confidence interval 0.6-1.3) were not significantly associated with the number of oocytes. There were no statistically significant correlations between F concentrations, FPI results, and age, number of poor responders, live birth rate, and clinical pregnancy rate (PR). Conclusion(s): Stress, as measured by saliva F and the FPI questionnaire, does not negatively impact the effectiveness of COH and is not associated with a reduced number of oocytes. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011;96:69-72. (C)2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)