Background: Ten per cent to 15% of couples have difficulty in conceiving. A proportion of these couples will ultimately require assisted reproduction. Prior to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) a baseline ultrasound is performed to detect the presence of ovarian cysts.Previous research has suggested that there is a relationship between the presence of an ovarian cyst prior to COH and poor outcome during IVF.
Objectives: The aim of this review was to determine the effectiveness and safety of functional ovarian cyst aspiration prior to ovarian stimulation versus a conservative approach in women with an ovarian cyst who were undergoing IVF or ICSI.
Search methods: We searched the Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group (MDSG) Specialised Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar and PubMed. The evidence was current to April 2014 and no language restrictions were applied.
Selection criteria: We included all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing functional ovarian cyst aspiration versus conservative management of ovarian cysts that have been seen on transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) prior to COH for IVF or ICSI. Ovarian cysts were defined as simple, functional ovarian cysts > 20 mm in diameter. Oocyte donors and women undergoing donor oocyte cycles were excluded.
Data collection and analysis: Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessments were conducted independently by two review authors. The primary outcome measures were live birth rate and adverse events. The overall quality of the evidence for each comparison was rated using GRADE methods.
Main results: Three studies were eligible for inclusion (n = 339), all of which used agonist protocols. Neither live birth rate nor adverse events were reported by any of the included studies. There was no conclusive evidence of a difference between the group who underwent ovarian cyst aspiration and the conservatively managed group in the clinical pregnancy rate (OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.67 to 2.94, 3 studies, 339 women, I(2) = 0%, low quality evidence). This suggested that if the clinical pregnancy rate in women with conservative management was assumed to be 5%, the chance following cyst aspiration would be between 4% and 14%. There was no evidence of a difference between the groups in the mean number of follicles recruited (0.55 follicles, 95% CI -0.48 to 1.59, 2 studies, 159 women, I(2) = 0%, low quality evidence) or mean number of oocytes collected (0.41 oocytes, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.85, 3 studies, 339 women, I(2) = 0%, low quality evidence). Findings for the cancellation rate (two studies) were inconsistent but neither study reported a benefit for the aspiration group. The main limitations of the evidence were imprecision, inconsistency, questionable applicability, and poor reporting of study methods.
Authors' conclusions: There is insufficient evidence to determine whether drainage of functional ovarian cysts prior to controlled ovarian hyperstimulation influences live birth rate, clinical pregnancy rate, number of follicles recruited, or oocytes collected in women with a functional ovarian cyst. The findings of this review do not provide supportive evidence for this approach, particularly in view of the requirement for anaesthesia, extra cost, psychological stress and risk of surgical complications.