Abstract: Abstract Objective: To determine whether the expression of GDF-9 in granulosa cells was related to poor ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation. Methods: RQ-PCR was performed to detect the levels of GDF-9 mRNA in granulose cells obtained from 70 patients undergoing IVF treatment, the relation was analyzed between the level of GDF-9 and poor ovarian response. Results: There were not significant differences with patient age, the serum levels of basal follicle-stimulating hormone and basal estradiol, years of infertility, dosages of gonadotropin in different ovarian response groups（P＞0.05）. The expression of GDF-9 mRNA in the poor ovarian response group was lower than those of moderate and high responders, being 18.64±8.35, 19.29±9.32 on mural and cumulus granulose cells, respectively(P＜0.05). The GDF-9 expression was positively correlated with the number of follicles (r=0.508; 0.632, P＜0.01). Conclusion: The lower expression level of GDF-9 in granulosa cells may be associated with poor response to controlled ovarian hyper stimulation.

Key words: Superovulation, growth differentiation factor-9, In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer, poor ovarian response