Implementing the ESHRE 'poor responder' criteria in research studies: methodological implications - PubMed

Implementing the ESHRE 'poor responder' criteria in research studies: methodological implications

Athanasios Papathanasiou. Hum Reprod. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

The Bologna criteria for defining poor ovarian response (POR) during IVF provide a useful template for new research in this field of assisted conception. However, designing studies around the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology POR criteria can be methodologically challenging, as the new definition includes various POR subpopulations with diverse baseline characteristics and unknown clinical prognosis. When designing RCTs, potential result bias may be introduced if women from each subpopulation are not evenly allocated between intervention groups. In the case of small or moderate-size RCTs, a single-sequence randomization method may not ensure balanced allocation between groups. Stratified randomization methods provide an alternative methodological approach. Depending on the chosen methodology, patient characteristics and outcomes within each intervention group may be better reported according to relevant subpopulations.

Keywords: IVF; RCT; criteria; poor ovarian response; poor responder.

Similar articles

• Trends in 'poor responder' research: lessons learned from RCTs in assisted conception.

  Papathanasiou A, Searle BJ, King NM, Bhattacharya S. Papathanasiou A, et al. Hum Reprod Update. 2016 Apr;22(3):306-19. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmw001. Epub 2016 Feb 2. Hum Reprod Update. 2016. PMID: 26843539 Review.

• The Bologna criteria for poor ovarian response: the good, the bad and the way forward.

  Venetis CA. Venetis CA. Hum Reprod. 2014 Sep;29(9):1839-41. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu138. Epub 2014 Jun 7. Hum Reprod. 2014. PMID: 24908672

• The Bologna criteria for the definition of poor ovarian responders: is there a need for revision?

  Ferraretti AP, Gianaroli L. Ferraretti AP, et al. Hum Reprod. 2014 Sep;29(9):1842-5. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu139. Epub 2014 Jul 9. Hum Reprod. 2014. PMID: 25008235

• Live birth rates following natural cycle IVF in women with poor ovarian response according to the Bologna criteria.

  Polyzos NP, Blockeel C, Verpoest W, De Vos M, Stoop D, Vloeberghs V, Camus M, Devroey P, Tournaye H. Polyzos NP, et al. Hum Reprod. 2012 Dec;27(12):3481-6. doi: 10.1093/humrep/des318. Epub 2012 Aug 30. Hum Reprod. 2012. PMID: 22940767

• Prognosis and cost-effectiveness of IVF in poor responders according to the Bologna Criteria.

  Busnelli A, Somigliana E. Busnelli A, et al. Minerva Ginecol. 2018 Feb;70(1):89-98. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4784.17.04132-6. Epub 2017 Sep 12. Minerva Ginecol. 2018. PMID: 28895678 Review.

Cited by

• Risk factors for inadequate response to ovarian stimulation in assisted reproduction cycles: systematic review.

  Amaral MEB, Ejzenberg D, Wajman DS, Monteleone PAA, Serafini P, Soares JM Jr, Baracat EC. Amaral MEB, et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019 Jan;36(1):19-28. doi: 10.1007/s10815-018-1324-0. Epub 2018 Sep 29. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019. PMID: 30269205 Free PMC article.

• Individualized controlled ovarian stimulation in expected poor-responders: an update.

  Haahr T, Esteves SC, Humaidan P. Haahr T, et al. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018 Mar 9;16(1):20. doi: 10.1186/s12958-018-0342-1. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2018. PMID: 29523204 Free PMC article. Review.

• The Bologna criteria for poor ovarian response: a contemporary critical appraisal.

  Younis JS, Ben-Ami M, Ben-Shlomo I. Younis JS, et al. J Ovarian Res. 2015 Nov 17;8:76. doi: 10.1186/s13048-015-0204-9. J Ovarian Res. 2015. PMID: 26577149 Free PMC article. Review.

• Comparison of the Cumulative Live Birth Rates of Progestin-Primed Ovarian Stimulation and Flexible GnRH Antagonist Protocols in Patients With Low Prognosis.

  Du M, Zhang J, Li Z, Liu X, Li J, Liu W, Guan Y. Du M, et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Sep 13;12:705264. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.705264. eCollection 2021. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021. PMID: 34589055 Free PMC article.

• Heterogeneity Among Poor Ovarian Responders According to Bologna Criteria Results in Diverging Cumulative Live Birth Rates.

  Romito A, Bardhi E, Errazuriz J, Blockeel C, Santos-Ribeiro S, Vos M, Racca A, Mackens S, Kelen AV, Panici PB, Vaiarelli A, Tournaye H, Drakopoulos P. Romito A, et al. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Apr 16;11:208. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00208. eCollection 2020. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020. PMID: 32373068 Free PMC article.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Ovid Technologies, Inc.
  • Silverchair Information Systems

• Other Literature Sources

  • scite Smart Citations