Dairo David: When Mature Follicles Yield No Oocytes
Dairo David, Trainee Embryologist at God’s Knot Fertility Centre, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Empty Follicle Syndrome (EFS)
Today, during oocyte aspiration, I experienced a remarkable and instructive case that deepened my understanding of real clinical situations.
Mature follicles were clearly seen on ultrasound — everything seemed set for retrieval. However, to everyone’s surprise, no oocytes were recovered during aspiration.
This scenario is referred to as Empty Follicle Syndrome (EFS) — a rare but significant occurrence in IVF where no oocytes are retrieved despite the presence of mature follicles.
EFS can occur due to:
- Premature ovulation
- Issues with hCG administration (dose, timing, or absorption)
- Rare intrinsic ovarian factors
Witnessing this first-hand was a powerful reminder that reproductive medicine doesn’t always follow the textbook. It highlighted the importance of timing, precision, teamwork, and critical thinking during IVF procedures.
As a trainee embryologist, every day in the lab teaches me something new — and today was a real-life example of the complexities and challenges behind each IVF success story.”
-
May 14, 2026, 17:13Ribociclib Plus Letrozole in Recurrent Low-Grade Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary – IJGC
-
May 14, 2026, 17:11Christopher Robinson: Isolated Severe Systolic Hypertension During Delivery Admission and Maternal Outcomes
-
May 14, 2026, 17:08Ally Murji: Honoured to Deliver the 51st Annual RT Weaver Lecture at McMaster University
-
May 14, 2026, 17:00Your Hair Dye Could Be Affecting Your Fertility – Fertility Plus
-
May 14, 2026, 16:53Devora Lieberman on Reduced-Tip Needle Design and Its Role in Egg Collection for Older Women – City Fertility
-
May 14, 2026, 16:48AI Can Watch Your IVF Embryo Grow and Predict If It’s Chromosomally Normal, Without Any Biopsy – Fertility Plus
-
May 14, 2026, 12:04Asma Khalil: Why Twin Pregnancies Need More Than Routine Monitoring?
-
May 14, 2026, 12:01Marco Zaccaria: Why Distension Media Selection Matters in Modern Hysteroscopy
-
May 14, 2026, 11:58Mathew Leonardi: PCOS Has Been Renamed to PMOS and It Changes How We Understand the Disease