Effects of Age and Infertility on Ovarian Granulosa Cell Function

Infertility is a life changing disorder, affecting 1 in 7 couples within the UK. Treatment options pose a significant cost burden to both the NHS and patient when NHS-funded treatment options are exhausted. This highlights the need for refinements in clinical management strategies for this patient group. Although there have been advancements in assisted reproductive technologies, the success rates of techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) remain low. Surprisingly, the IVF hormonal regimens used by most assisted conception units fail to take account of patient age, ovarian reserve or cause of infertility when deciding on treatment regimen, with a 'one size fits all' approach to treatment. The investigators propose that age and cause of infertility modify the functions and environment provided by the cells (granulosa cells) that support egg (oocyte) growth and development and understanding these changes will allow for a more personalised approach to IVF treatment regimens. The aim of this study therefore is to recruit female patients undergoing IVF with different causes of infertility and age, and harvest granulosa cells from remaining material (follicular aspirates) generated at the time of egg retrieval. Granulosa cells will be cultured in vitro and cellular functions assessed. The investigators will also recruit female patients with normal fertility undergoing IVF procedure due to other reasons (i.e. egg freezing, diagnostics of genetic diseases on embryos).