Body Mass Index Impacts In Vitro Fertilization Stimulation

The objective of the study was to prospectively determine if body mass index (BMI) is predictive of live birth rates in patients undergoing IVF. The prospective study enrolled 117 infertility patients with the primary outcome measure being IVF success rates. Mean BMI did not differ between patients with successful outcomes and those without successful outcomes. There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and the number of stimulated follicles (r = 0.19, P < .05). A significant negative correlation between BMI and ampules of gonadotropins used (r = -0.25, P < .01) and between BMI and days of stimulation (r = -0.19, P < .05) was noted. These data demonstrate that women with an elevated BMI produce more follicles, stimulate quicker, and require less gonadotropins during IVF. However, BMI did not have a significant effect on pregnancy outcome rates.