An elevated basal FSH re¯ects a quantitative rather than

BACKGROUND: Many cycling women with elevated basal FSH level have been discouraged from undergoing IVF treatment. This is because elevated basal FSH is associated with poorer assisted reproduction treatment outcome. It has been argued that high FSH re¯ects not only reduced ovarian reserve but also poor oocyte quality. The aim of this study is to assess the value of treating cycling women who have elevated basal FSH and to assess the reasons for the reduction in both pregnancy rate (PR) and live birth rate (LBR). METHODS: Between January 1997 and December 2001, 2057 patients underwent 3401 consecutive IVF/ICSI cycles in which the basal level of FSH (days 2± 4) was determined at an earlier cycle. Analysis, however, was only performed for a single cycle per patient. All cases were divided into four cohorts according to FSH levels: group A, FSH <10 IU/ml; group B, 10.1±15 IU/ml; group C, 15.1±20 IU/ml; and group D, FSH>20 IU/ml. Each group was strati®ed further into subgroups according to age