Ovarian Response Evaluation in Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Summary
Ovarian response evaluation is central to optimising assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Assessment begins with quantifying ovarian reserve through biomarkers such as anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC), which inform baseline potential for follicular recruitment. During controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), clinicians administer exogenous gonadotrophins to induce multifollicular development. The subsequent ovarian response is gauged by both quantitative indices—number of retrieved oocytes—and qualitative metrics reflecting follicular kinetics. Key performance indicators have emerged to characterise distinct phases of folliculogenesis: the Follicular Output Rate (FORT) captures the proportion of recruited antral follicles reaching preovulatory size; the Follicle-Oocyte Index (FOI) relates retrieved oocytes back to initial AFC; and the Ovarian Sensitivity Index (OSI) expresses the yield of oocytes per unit of gonadotrophin dose. These parameters enable stratification of patients into normal, poor and hypo-responder categories, guiding dosage adjustment and protocol selection. Advances in molecular profiling of follicular fluid and single-cell transcriptomics have begun to unravel the cellular basis of variable sensitivity, offering prospects for personalised COS regimens and adjuvant therapies. Globally, refined evaluation tools promise to enhance live birth rates, minimise complications such as ovarian hyperstimulation and reduce cost by tailoring stimulation to individual ovarian dynamics.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Ovarian Response Evaluation in Assisted Reproductive Technologies publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in ovarian response evaluation in assisted reproductive technologies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Antral follicle count (AFC): The number of small (2–10 mm) follicles visible by ultrasound at the beginning of stimulation, reflecting ovarian reserve.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH): A glycoprotein secreted by small follicles that serves as a stable serum marker of ovarian reserve.
Controlled ovarian stimulation (COS): A treatment protocol using exogenous gonadotrophins to promote the development of multiple follicles.
Follicular Output Rate (FORT): The ratio of preovulatory follicles obtained at stimulation completion to the initial AFC, indicating recruitment efficiency.
Follicle-Oocyte Index (FOI): The proportion of antral follicles yielding oocytes, calculated as retrieved oocytes divided by AFC.
Ovarian Sensitivity Index (OSI): The number of retrieved oocytes per total gonadotrophin dose, quantifying ovarian responsiveness to stimulation.
References
- Expert opinion on refined and extended key performance indicators for individualized ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive technology. Fertility and Sterility (2024).
- Assisted reproductive technology and interactions between serum basal FSH/LH and ovarian sensitivity index. Frontiers in Endocrinology (2023).
- Single-cell RNA-seq analysis and cell-cluster deconvolution of the human preovulatory follicular fluid cells provide insights into the pathophysiology of ovarian hyporesponse. Frontiers in Endocrinology (2022).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.