Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Failed oocyte pick-up (FOPU) is the absence of oocyte retrieval from mature follicles after ovulation induction in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The incidence of FOPU is rare in IVF cycles. METHODS: This retrospective cohort single-center study compared a 36-hour time interval between a second trigger and ovum pick-up (OPU) in FOPU and a 24-hour time interval between a second trigger and OPU in FOPU. In total, 62 couples with FOPU between July 2011 and April 2024 were included in the study. Of the 62 patients included, 49 underwent a 36-hour time interval between trigger and OPU (group 1), and 13 couples underwent a 24-hour time interval between trigger and OPU (group 2). The primary outcome measured was oocyte retrieval, and the secondary outcomes were fertilization, blastocyst, and pregnancy rates. RESULTS: We compared 49 patients from group 1 and 13 from group 2. After a 36-hour time interval, oocyte retrieval in group 1 was significantly higher than that in group 2 (8.3 ± 5.7 versus 2.7 ± 3.8, p < 0.001). Furthermore, fertilization, blastocyst, and pregnancy rates were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2, respectively (61% versus 13.8%, p < 0.001; 32.8% versus 0%, p < 0.001; and 37.8% versus 0%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Strong evidence for overcoming primary impaired oocyte retrieval is still lacking in the literature. However, a 36-hour time interval between a second trigger and OPU seems ideal for FOPU cases. Therefore, communication between the physician and embryologist is crucial during OPU to detect such cases, especially in couples with a history of FOPU.