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Massey AJ, Campbell B, Raine-Fenning N, et al. The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review. Reprod Med Biol. 2014;13(4):161-176doi: 10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z.
Massey, A. J., Campbell, B., Raine-Fenning, N., Aujla, N., & Vedhara, K. (2014). The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review. Reproductive medicine and biology, 13(4), 161-176. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z
Massey, Adam J, et al. "The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review." Reproductive medicine and biology vol. 13,4 (2014): 161-176. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z
Massey AJ, Campbell B, Raine-Fenning N, Aujla N, Vedhara K. The association of physiological cortisol and IVF treatment outcomes: a systematic review. Reprod Med Biol. 2014 Apr 11;13(4):161-176. doi: 10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z. eCollection 2014 Oct. PMID: 29699159; PMCID: PMC5907129.
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Reprod Med Biol. 2014 Apr 11;13(4):161-176. doi: 10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z. eCollection 2014 Oct.

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

Reproductive medicine and biology

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

Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Clinical Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre University of Nottingham NG7 2RD Nottingham UK.
  2. Division of Primary Care University of Nottingham 13th Floor Tower Building, University Park NG7 2RD Nottingham UK.

PMID: 29699159 PMCID: PMC5907129 DOI: 10.1007/s12522-014-0179-z

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.

RESULTS: 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.

CONCLUSIONS: 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.

Keywords: Cortisol; Hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis; In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF); Infertility; Stress

Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

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