Evidence Hub

In vitro maturation in subfertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome undergoing assisted reproduction

Siristatidis CS, Papapanou M, Maheshwari A, Vaidakis D

The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2025

810 participants · 6 citations

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) occurs in 8% to 13% of all women of reproductive age and 50% of women presenting with infertility (i.e. inability to reach a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse). A proportion of these women ultimately need assisted reproductive technology. In vitro fertilisation (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are assisted reproduction techniques used to raise the chances of a pregnancy. In women with PCOS, the supra-physiological doses of gonadotrophins used for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) often result in an exaggerated ovarian response characterised by the development of a large cohort of follicles of uneven quality, retrieval of immature oocytes, and increased risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). A potentially effective intervention for women with PCOS-related infertility involves earlier retrieval of immature oocytes at the germinal-vesicle stage followed by in vitro maturation (IVM). This is the third update of this Cochrane review on the subject (after the last update on 27 June 2018).

Objectives: To assess the benefits and harms of IVM followed by IVF or ICSI versus conventional IVF or ICSI among women with PCOS.

Search methods: On 27 February 2023, we searched the Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group Specialised Register of Controlled Trials, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and the Open Grey database. We further searched the National Institute for Health and…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 810 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free