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Reproductive Medicine and Biology
Published in: Reproductive Medicine and Biology 4/2014

01-10-2014 | Review Article

The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review

Authors: Adam J. Massey, Bruce Campbell, Nick Raine-Fenning, Navneet Aujla, Kavita Vedhara

Published in: Reproductive Medicine and Biology | Issue 4/2014

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Abstract

Purpose

A systematic review was conducted to (1) collate and synthesise the available evidence for the role of cortisol in relation to IVF treatment outcomes; (2) to establish the strength of an association between cortisol and IVF; and (3) to assess the overall quality of the studies and guide future research in this area.

Methods

Seven electronic databases, including the reference lists of published papers, were searched. Inclusion criteria qualified any prospective/observational cohort study that reported original data. Quality assessment of eligible studies was conducted using the STROBE statement, which was used to assess the risk of bias and the quality of observational studies included in this review.

Result(s)

A total of eight studies reported a significant association between cortisol and IVF outcomes. Three studies found that higher cortisol may be associated with more favourable IVF outcomes, whereas five studies found that lower cortisol levels may be conducive to IVF success. Eleven of all studies included in this review were regarded as low quality publications.

Conclusion(s)

Study findings were that the evidence for the role of cortisol in relation to IVF outcomes is currently mixed. Future researchers are encouraged to consider the methodological limitations highlighted in this review and to utilise more robust assessment methods when examining the influence that chronic, rather than acute, stress may have on IVF outcomes.
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Metadata
Title
The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review
Authors
Adam J. Massey
Bruce Campbell
Nick Raine-Fenning
Navneet Aujla
Kavita Vedhara
Publication date
01-10-2014
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Reproductive Medicine and Biology / Issue 4/2014
Print ISSN: 1445-5781
Electronic ISSN: 1447-0578
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z

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