Oocyte donation in patients with Turner's syndrome: a successful technique but with an accompanying high risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on pregnancy rate and obstetrical outcome after oocyte donation in Turner's syndrome patients. We conducted a retrospective analysis on the outcome of this subgroup. METHODS: Thirty oocyte donation cycles with fresh embryo transfer were performed in 21 patients between 2001 and 2004. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) age of the recipients was 33.1+/-1.8 years. The median (range) number of transferred embryos per cycle was two (1-4). Seventeen pregnancies were obtained (57%), of which 12 were clinical (40%). The implantation rate and the ongoing pregnancy rate were 22% (15 out of 68) and 30% (nine out of 30), respectively. Premature delivery was observed in 50% (four out of eight) of the pregnancies and intrauterine growth retardation in 55.5% (five out of nine) of the fetuses. Hypertensive disorders occurred in five out of eight pregnancies (three pre-eclampsias). CONCLUSIONS: Turner's syndrome patients achieve acceptable pregnancy rates after oocyte donation. A high rate of pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders was observed which have led to a high rate of prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction. Although the number of cases in this study is limited, these results call for the need for intensive surveillance of such pregnancies. In order to reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders induced by multiple pregnancies, single embryo transfer should be proposed.