Dr. Su: Ovarian Stimulation in Adolescents

Dr. Su, of UCSD, gave an eloquent and stimulating lecture reviewing medical considerations in adolescents undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for fertility preservation. Mature oocyte and embryo cryopreservation are established fertility preservation methods associated with high success rates. Dr. Su discussed how results of a case series demonstrating MII oocytes from premenarchal girls suggest that maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis may not be required for ovarian stimulation, though studies have not demonstrated live births following stimulation in premenarchal girls. Optimal treatment protocols and retrieval procedures differ in post-menarchal adolescents compared to infertile adult women. For example, adolescents should undergo abdominal ultrasounds with a full bladder, require different pre-treatment, stimulation and trigger protcols and may require overnight stays following retrievals.