[Changes in preovulatory molecular progesterone/estradiol ratio in patients treated with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Can they be used in the assessment of ovarian reserve?]. / Cambios en la relación molecular preovulatoria entre estradiol y progesterona en pacientes sometidas a hiperestimulación ovárica controlada. Pueden usarse como evaluación de la reserva ovárica?

ABSTRACT

The objective was to evaluate if the preovulatory molecular ratio between progesterone and estradiol has age-dependent changes in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. There were 180 cycles of conventional in vitro fertilization which were studied. Patients were divided in three groups Group 1 (age less than 30 years; n = 40), group 2 (age between 30 and 35 years; n = 82), and group 3 (age between 36 and 40 years; n = 58). Leuprolide acetate was used in all cases. Molecular progesterone/estradiol ratio was calculated with the following formula [Serum progesterone (ng/mL) x 3180 (Sl x 10(3)) + serum estradiol (pg/mL) x 3.671 (Sl)]. In patients older than 38.5 years there was positive correlation between preovulatory progesterone and estradiol (R = 0.55, R2 = 0.30). There were significant difference in molecular progesterone/estradiol ratio between group 1 compared to group 2 (P less than 0.001), group 1 compared to group 3 (P less than 0.0001), as well as group 1 compared to group 2 plus group 3 (P less than 0.0001). It is concluded that molecular progesterone/estradiol ratio decreases before any endocrine evidence of ovarian aging. The value of this putative test of ovarian reserve is discussed.