Comparable ongoing pregnancy and pregnancy loss rates in natural cycle and artificial cycle frozen embryo transfers with intensive method-specific luteal phase support; a retrospective cohort study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The absence of corpus lutea in artificial cycle (AC) frozen embryo transfers (FET) may increase the chances of pregnancy loss. In this retrospective cohort study, the efficacy of AC endometrial preparation was compared natural cycle (NC) endometrial preparation in terms of ongoing pregnancy. METHODS: One thousand six hundred and eighteen consecutive vitrified-warmed blastocyst FET performed between December 2021 and November 2022 were included, with 1023 compared after exclusions according to the endometrial preparation method; 293 NC-FET, 143 modified NC-FET, 204 unprogrammed AC-FET, and 383 oral contraceptive pill (OCP) programmed AC-FET. Intensive method-specific luteal phase support (LPS) was administered in NC- (human chorionic gonadotropin and micronized vaginal progesterone), mNC- (micronized vaginal progesterone), and in AC-FET (micronized vaginal progesterone, intramuscular progesterone, and oral dydrogesterone). RESULTS: Clinician choice of endometrial preparation method resulted in the NC- or AC-FET groups having distinct differences, with female age, antral follicle count and body mass index as well as the percentage of DOR or PCOS diagnosed patients significantly different. The unadjusted ongoing pregnancy and total pregnancy loss rates for NC-, mNC-, AC-, and ocp-AC-FET were 61.8 %, 55.2 %, 57.4 %, and 58.5 %, and 19.2 %, 24.0 %, 23.5 % and 23.8 %, respectively. In multivariate logistic regressions to predict the dependent outcomes of ongoing pregnancy and total pregnancy loss, none of the FET methods were selected as independent predictors. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing NC- and AC-FET with method-specific progesterone LPS had comparable ongoing pregnancy rates as well as total pregnancy loss rates, with NC-FET ranked first in the regression analysis.

Chronic endometritis diagnosed using a cut-off of ≥5 CD138 plasma cells significantly affects the reproductive outcomes of frozen embryo transfer: a case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of a diagnosis of chronic endometritis (CE) made using a diagnostic cut-off of ≥1 or ≥5 CD138 plasma cells per high power field (HPF) in asymptomatic patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with frozen embryo transfer (FET). Material and Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 1,865 patients underwent freeze-all-IVF treatment between January and December 2019, with 419 undergoing endometrial biopsies at oocyte retrieval. Of the 419 biopsy-patients, 301 have since undergone first FET. The processed endometrial biopsies of the 301 patients underwent immunohistochemical (IHC) examination with anti-CD138 to count CD138+ plasma cells per HPF. CE diagnosis was defined as 0 CD138 plasma cells (control-group), ≥1 CD138 plasma cells (CEcontrol-group) or ≥5 CD138 plasma cells (CEdisease-group) per HPF. Results: Twenty-six (8.6%) patients were retrospectively diagnosed having ≥1 CD138 plasma cells, and five patients (1.7%) having ≥5 CD138 plasma cells (CEdisease-group) per HPF. The live birth and pregnancy loss rates of the three groups were 52.7% and 27.9%, 53.8% and 26.3% and 20.0% and 66.7%, respectively. The antral follicle count (AFC) of the three groups were 15.0 (9.0-22.0), 10.5 (7.75-15.25), and 6.0 (5.0-14.0), respectively. Conclusion: Asymptomatic patients diagnosed with CE with ≥5 CD138 plasma cells per HPF, had the lowest live birth and highest pregnancy loss rates, with these patients also having significantly reduced AFC.

Dydrogesterone versus medroxyprogesterone acetate co-treatment ovarian stimulation for IVF: a matched cohort study of 236 freeze-all-IVF cycles.

This matched cohort study was retrospectively performed, with cycles extracted from freeze-all-IVF treatments performed between March and November 2019, to compare the efficacy of flexible-start dydrogesterone (DYG) co-treatment ovarian stimulations (OS) with flexible-start medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) co-treatment OS. DYG cycles were matched 1:1 with MPA cycles using female age and antral follicle count, resulting in 236 matched cycles. OS durations and total FSH doses were similar in DYG and MPA OS cycles. The numbers of mature oocytes retrieved were similar; however, the mature oocyte retrieval rate was significantly lower (66.7 vs. 78.2%; p = .001) and the cycle cancellation rates were higher (29.2 vs. 21.2%; p = .056) in DYG co-treatments. A linear regression selected OS co-treatment protocol (0.53 DYG (0.356-0.776), p = .001) into the final model to predict a ≥ 80% mature oocyte retrieval rate. The per transfer (47.2 vs. 49.7; p = .721) and per treatment ongoing pregnancy rates (32.2 vs. 38.1%, p = .210) were similar in the two co-treatment groups. Flexible-start DYG co-treatment OS was as effective in blastocyst freeze-all-IVF cycles as MPA co-treatment, with similar ongoing pregnancy rates; however, mature oocyte retrieval was significantly decreased and cycle cancellation increased in DYG cycles.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Progestin (i.e. artificial progesterone) co-treatment has long been known to be a feasible alternative to conventional GnRH-analogue co-treatment in OS for IVF, because of the long-standing evidence that progestin formulations have in oral contraceptive therapies. The recent evolution of effective freeze-all-IVF (in which high mid-cycle progesterone levels is not of concern because of the postponement of embryo transfer) has now made it possible to investigate progestin co-treatment OS in IVF.What do the results of this study add? Ongoing pregnancy rates from blastocyst frozen embryo transfers in flexible-start dydrogesterone (DYG) co-treatment ovarian stimulation (OS) cycles were similar to rates in flexible-start medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) co-treatment OS cycles. The mature oocyte retrieval rate was significantly lower and the cycle cancellation rate higher in DYG than in MPA cycles.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The evidence suggests that MPA co-treatment should be preferred in OS for IVF. Further investigation is required to refine progestin co-treatment protocols, because of their potential to reduce the number of viable blastocysts.

Does fresh or frozen embryo transfer affect imprinted gene expressions in human term placenta?

Our research aimed to compare the epigenetic alterations between placentae of in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients and spontaneous pregnancies. Additionally, the expression levels of proliferation markers (PCNA, Ki67) and glucose transporter proteins (GLUT1, GLUT3) were assessed in control and IVF placentae to examine the possible consequences of epigenetic alterations on placental development. Control group placentae were obtained from spontaneous pregnancies of healthy women (n = 16). IVF placentae were obtained from fresh (n = 16) and frozen (n = 16) embryo transfer pregnancies. A group of maternal and paternal imprint genes H19, IGF2, IGF2, IGF2R, PHLDA2, PLAGL1, MASH2, GRB10, PEG1, PEG3, and PEG10 were detected by Real-Time PCR. Additionally, PCNA, Ki67, GLUT1, and GLUT3 protein levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry and western blot. In the fresh embryo transfer placenta group (fETP), gene expression of paternal PEG1 and PEG10 was upregulated compared with the control group. Increased gene expression in paternal PEG1 and maternal IGFR2 genes was detected in the frozen embryo transfer placenta group (FET) compared with the control group. Conversely, expression levels of H19 and IGF2 genes were downregulated in the FET group. On the other hand, GLUT3 and PCNA expression was increased in FET group placentae. IVF techniques affect placental imprinted gene expressions which are important for proper placental development. Imprinted genes are differently expressed in fresh ET placentae and frozen ET placentae. In conclusion, these data indicate that altered imprinted gene expression may affect glucose transport and cell proliferation, therefore play an important role in placental development.

Blastocyst age, expansion, trophectoderm morphology, and number cryopreserved are variables predicting clinical implantation in single blastocyst frozen embryo transfers in freeze-only-IVF.

PURPOSE: To determine which blastocyst assessment variables predict clinical implantations in single blastocyst frozen embryo transfers (FET) of freeze-only-IVF cycles, following improved vitrified-warmed blastocyst survival and developmental competence preservation. METHOD: In this retrospective cohort study performed at a single private IVF center, the pregnancy outcomes of 1795 single blastocyst FET cycles were analyzed, from freeze-only-IVF retrievals performed between January 2017 and January 2020. Stepwise forward logistic regressions with clinical implantation (i.e., normal gestational sac and cardiac activity) as dependent variable were performed to identify the significant predictors. All blastocysts were vitrified using Cryotop technology, with before transfer (post-warming) blastocyst morphology scores used in all analyses. RESULT(S): The 1795 blastocysts transferred were vitrified on embryo days 4 (1057), 5 (716), and 6 (22). The overall clinical implantation rate was 50.9%; however, using blastocyst age and blastocyst morphological score the clinical implantation rates increased from 49.0% (day-4 1 and 2) and 25.2% (day-5 1 and 2) to 71.2% (day-4 4AA) and 64.3% (day-5 4AA), respectively. Whereas full (≥3) blastocysts with scores of AA and BA had similar clinical implantation rates (66.2 vs. 66.7%), the rate of full blastocysts with scores of AB was lower (58.9%). In stepwise forward logistic regressions, female age, blastocyst age, blastocyst expansion score, blastocyst trophectoderm score, and number of blastocysts vitrified were significant predictors of clinical implantation. CONCLUSION(S): Using blastocyst age and before transfer blastocyst expansion and trophectoderm morphology scores to select blastocysts, clinical implantation rates greater than 70% could be achieved for top-scoring blastocysts.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate used in ovarian stimulation is associated with reduced mature oocyte retrieval and blastocyst development: a matched cohort study of 825 freeze-all IVF cycles.

PURPOSE: To compare the effectivity of flexible-start medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) co-treatment ovarian stimulations (OS) with flexible-start gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) co-treatment OS, in blastocyst freeze-all IVF cycles. METHOD: This matched cohort study was performed at a single IVF center. Study cycles were extracted from freeze-all IVF cycles performed between February 2015 and June 2018 with cycles grouped according to the co-treatment protocol (MPA and GnRH-ant groups) used. MPA cycles were matched 1:1 using antral follicle count, female age, infertility duration, and female body mass index, with GnRH-ant cycles, resulting in 825 matched cycles. MPA or CET co-treatment was started when leading follicles reached 11-12 mm. RESULTS: Duration of OS was significantly longer, and total FSH dose was significantly higher in the MPA group. Numbers of mature oocytes retrieved were similar; however, the mature oocyte retrieval rate (83.8 vs. 97.1%; p < 0.001), number of blastocysts, blastocyst rate (36.4 vs. 41.4%; p < 0.001) and > 2 viable blastocyst rate were all significantly lower in the MPA group. The live birth (LB) per transfer rates (51.6 vs. 55.7%; p = 0.155) were similar; however, the LB rate per treatment was significantly lower (40.9 vs. 45.8%; p = 0.05). A linear regression included the OS co-treatment protocol (GnRH-ant; 1.4 (1.07-1.81); p = 0.013) in the final model to predict having > 2 viable blastocysts. CONCLUSION: Flexible-start MPA co-treatment OS was as effective in freeze-all IVF cycles as GnRH-ant co-treatment, with similar LB per transfer rates; however, increased cycle cancellation and reduced blastocyst numbers reduced LB per treatment rates significantly.

Large-for-gestational age is male-gender dependent in artificial frozen embryo transfers cycles: a cohort study of 1295 singleton live births.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the effect of frozen embryo transfer (FET) on infant birth weight outcomes and which variables predic large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants. DESIGN: In a large cohort study, the birth weight of 1295 singleton live births from blastocyst freeze-all-IVF treatments carried out between February 2015 and February 2017 at a single IVF centre were analysed. All embryo transfers were vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers in artificial FET cycles, with patients having one (n = 864) or two (n = 431) blastocysts transferred. All live births were from ultrasound confirmed single fetal heart pregnancies. RESULTS: The mean gestational age at delivery was 38.2 (±1.7) weeks, with a 1.11 : 1 female to male ratio for infants delivered. The small and large-for-gestational age rates were 5.02 and 13.28%, with 81.7% of infants appropriate for gestational age. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the independent variables selected in the model to predict having an LGA infant were maternal parity, infant gender and maternal body mass index (BMI). The risk for LGA at term was significantly higher for male infants when adjusting for maternal parity and BMI (2.8 OR 1.805 to 4.450; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that fetal growth of artificial cycle FET pregnancies resulted in an 13.28% LGA infant rate that was mostly male gender dependent.

Prediction of live birth and cumulative live birth rates in freeze-all-IVF treatment of a general population.

PURPOSE: To investigate the cumulative live birth (cLB) rate of one complete freeze-all-IVF cycle in a general infertile population and to investigate patient and treatment variables that predict blastocyst development and live birth (LB). METHOD: In a retrospective observational study, the data of all IVF cycles performed between 1 February 2015 and 31 January 2016 at a single IVF centre was investigated. In the study, patient-couples were followed up for 18 months following oocyte retrieval. After exclusions, the patient and treatment variables of 1582 patient-couples who underwent treatment were included in the analyses. RESULTS: The median time interval between the oocyte retrieval attempt and the frozen embryo transfer (FET) in which LB was achieved was 38.0 (35.0-67.0) days. The variables of freeze-all-IVF cycles with single blastocyst FET selected by multiple logistic regression to predict LB significantly were female age, infertility duration, FET number (i.e. 1st, 2nd, or ≥ 3rd FET), and blastocyst quality. In a regression adjusting for female age, the number of blastocysts transferred, and oocyte number group (1-3, 4-9, 10-15, and > 15), none of the oocyte number groups were selected to predict LB of 1st FET, significantly. While the per transfer LB rates decreased linearly from the 1st (56.5%) to the 3rd (36.4%) FET, the cLB rate increased from 47.3% after the 1st FET to 55.0% after a 3rd possible FET. CONCLUSION: The cLB rate of one complete freeze-all-IVF cycle of a general infertile population, with 18-month follow-up, was 55.0%. In freeze-all-IVF, ovarian reserve variables were not selected by regression models to predict LB, significantly.

Increased body mass index associated with increased preterm delivery in frozen embryo transfers.

The present study was performed to investigate whether maternal body mass index (BMI) affected the live birth (LB) outcomes of frozen embryo transfers (FET) in patients who underwent freeze-all treatment cycles. The autologous intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles with blastocyst freeze-all cycles performed between February 2015 and January 2016 were retrospectively investigated. The 1188 subsequent FET performed were grouped according to maternal BMI classes for analysis; underweight (<18.5 kg/m2; 3.5%), normal-weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2; 40.1%), overweight (25.0-29.9 kg/m2; 33.7%), or obese (classes I-III; ≥30.0 kg/m2; 22.8%). Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed, with LB as the primary outcome measure. In the categorical analyses of only the single blastocyst transfers (SBT), positive pregnancy (PP), LB and total pregnancy loss (totPL) rates were similar in the maternal BMI classes; however, the preterm delivery (PTD) rate in the obese class was significantly higher. In the multiple logistic regression models, maternal age was the most significant predictor of LB (OR = 0.9, 95%CI (0.90-0.98), p = .006) and the maternal BMI was the most significant predictor of PTD (OR = 1.1, 95% CI (1.02-1.14), p = .010). In conclusion, maternal BMI was the most significant variable in the outcome of PTD, with obese female patients at an increased risk of PTD. Impact statement What is known already? Obesity is rising worldwide to epidemic proportions and is expected to continue rising in the foreseeable future. Overweight and obesity not only increases the morbidity and mortality in the female populations but also significantly increases the risks of infertility in the women of reproductive age. Body mass index (BMI) has been the most widely used measure to describe the body weight of infertile patients. What do the results of this study add? Underweight, overweight and obesity do not significantly contribute to live birth outcomes. Maternal BMI was a significant predictor of PTD, with obesity most significantly at risk of PTD. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The evidence suggests that the weight management policy remain unchanged in IVF practice, with weight loss recommended for both young and ageing infertile patients. Performing a 'therapeutic' freeze-all IVF in the patients with weight-associated infertility may be a more suitable treatment strategy.

Single best euploid versus single best unknown-ploidy blastocyst frozen embryo transfers: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to investigate the efficacy of IVF with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), using only best-scoring blastocysts from young (≤ 35 years) infertile patients undergoing single blastocyst frozen embryo transfers (FET). METHOD: In this randomized controlled trial (RCT) registered 29 March 2017, 302 infertile patient-couples eligible to participate underwent autologous ICSI blastocyst freeze-all cycles. Two-hundred and twenty patient-couples satisfied the inclusion criteria (i.e., female age ≤ 35 years, two-day 5 ≥ 2BB blastocysts) and were randomized to either the PGT-A (PGT-A group, n = 109) selection arm or morphology score (morphology group, n = 111) selection arm. In both arms, the highest ranking (by morphological score) blastocysts were selected for FET. RESULTS: Of the 109 best-scoring blastocysts that underwent PGT-A, 80 were predicted to be euploid (73.4%) and were transferred in FET (euploid subgroup). There was no statistical difference in LB rate between the euploid subgroup and morphology group (56.3% vs 58.6%, odds ratio 0.91 (95% CI 0.51-1.63), p = 0.750). In a multiple logistic regression, the transfer of euploid blastocysts was not found to be a significant predictor of LB when adjusting for female age, infertility duration, antral follicle count, and blastocyst quality, with the independent odds expressed as 0.91 (95% CI 0.50-1.66, p = 0.760). CONCLUSION: In young (≤ 35 years) infertile patients with at least two ≥ 2BB blastocysts, PGT-A blastocyst selection does not result in an enhanced LB rate, with the evidence suggesting that the effectivity of PGT-A may be limited by the effectivity of TE biopsy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03095053.

Risk of ovarian torsion is reduced in GnRH agonist triggered freeze-all cycles: a retrospective cohort study.

Ovarian torsion (OT) in IVF is rare, however, the consequences are significant, which include ovariotomy. In the present study, it was aimed for the first time to compare the incidence of OT between hCG triggered cycles with ICSI and fresh transfer and GnRH-agonist triggered cycles with the ICSI-freeze-all and frozen embryo transfer (FET). In total, 15,577 ICSI cycles performed between 2001 and 2016 were categorised into two groups (Group 1, n: 9978): cycles with controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) and hCG-triggered (Group 2, n: 5599) and COS, with GnRH-agonist only triggered and freeze-all. Thirteen patients (0.13%) were diagnosed with OT and corrected by laparoscopy (12) and laparotomy (1) in Group 1. One patient (0.018%) was diagnosed with OT and corrected by laparotomy in Group 2 (Group 1 vs. Group 2, p = .049). The incidence of severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was 2.4% in Group 1 and 0.05% in Group 2 (p < .001). The use of freeze-all with GnRH agonist trigger in ART significantly reduced the incidence of OT and concomitantly OHSS, with no effect on the reproductive outcome. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Adnexal ovarian torsion (OT) is a well-known gynaecological event that constitutes a surgical emergency. Assisted reproduction technologies (ART) may result in ovarian conditions that predispose patients to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and torsion. What the results of this study add? The combined use of GnRH agonist trigger for final oocyte maturation after OS with freeze-all and frozen embryo transfer (FET) significantly reduces the incidence of OT, as well as OHSS. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The treatment strategy of GnRH agonist trigger with freeze-all significantly reduces the risks of adverse complications.

Six-month recovery needed after dilation and curettage (D and C) for reproductive outcomes in frozen embryo transfer.

In this study, the endometrial developmental and reproductive outcomes of frozen embryo transfers (FETs) which were performed subsequent to miscarriages managed by dilation and curettage (D and C) were investigated. The intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) blastocyst freeze-all cycles performed between January 2014 and August 2016 were screened for the patients who had undergone their FET (first), miscarriages (>5 < 14 weeks), D and C, and the patients who had undergone their FET (second) (study group; n = 71); and patients who underwent FET (1st), a chemical pregnancy loss (PL) (<5 weeks) and FET (2nd) (reference group; n = 38). The live births (LB; delivery >20 weeks) of FET (2nd) were analysed in two time-interval sub-groups: ≤6 months or >6 months. In the study and reference groups, the median endometrial thickness at the second FET of the ≤6 months sub-groups was found to be significantly reduced. The relative risk for LB was significantly higher (1.65 [0.994-2.723] p = .043) in the >6 months study sub-group, with a lower risk for PL (0.62 [0.268-1.427] p = .329), whereas, there were no significant differences between the reference sub-groups. The management of miscarriage with D and C results in a significant and transient decrease in reproductive function in subsequent FET. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Approximately, 15-30% of positive pregnancies in assisted reproductive technology (ART) end in biochemical pregnancy losses (PLs) or miscarriages. Cervical dilation with suction or blunt curettage (D and C), has been the procedure most often used to manage the retained products of conception (RPOC) after miscarriage. Intrauterine surgery has the potential to directly affect reproduction, depending on the endometrial impact. What the results of this study add? The endometrium after D and C surgery may require 6 months to recover normal reproductive function, in terms of both live birth and PL. The extent of the damage to endometrial function is not found to be reflected in the endometrial thickness. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Patients who undergo miscarriage after their ART treatment may need to delay further treatment for 6 months to optimise their chances of LB. Alternative miscarriage management procedures need to be investigated; procedures that have lower risks for an adverse reproductive function and allow for shorter time intervals between treatments.

Artificial cryopreserved embryo transfer cycle success depends on blastocyst developmental rate and progesterone timing.

This retrospective cohort analysis compared the developmental competence of cryopreserved day-4 and 5 blastocysts, and investigated the effect of progesterone administration duration on the success of artificial frozen embryo transfers. Between October 2015 and March 2016, 868 intracytoplasmic sperm injection blastocyst cryo-all cycles were carried out, with 586 subsequently undergoing frozen embryo transfer. Of these, 243 were day-5 single blastocyst transfers (SBT) and 152 were day-4 SBT. Day-4 blastocysts were transferred on day-5 progesterone (day-4 group) and day-5 blastocysts were transferred on day-5 (short-protocol day-5 sub-group, n = 104) or day-6 (standard-protocol day-5 sub-group, n = 139) progesterone. Although more blastocysts were transferred in the standard-protocol day-5 sub-group (P = 0.009), pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates were similar to those of the day-4 group, but were significantly lower in the short-protocol day-5 sub-group (P = 0.004, P = 0.008 and P = 0.02 respectively). For optimal outcomes, day-4 blastulating embryos should be prioritized for transfer on day 5 of progesterone and for day-5 blastocysts, transfer should be delayed by 1 day. The retrospective analysis and lack of adjustment for all known confounding variables limit the study.

Frozen embryo transfer can be performed in the cycle immediately following the freeze-all cycle.

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated whether the time interval between oocyte retrieval and frozen embryo transfer (FET) affected the live birth (LB) rates of human segmented-IVF cycles. METHOD: A total of 1338 ICSI freeze-all cycles were performed between February 2015 and January 2016, with 1121 FET cycles being retrospectively analyzed. All vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers were performed in artificial FET cycles, using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist downregulation and oral estrogen endometrial preparation. The primary outcome measure was LB. Cycles were investigated in oocyte retrieval-to-FET interval groups of 32-46, 47-61, 62-76, 77-91, and ≥ 92 days, with the 47-61-day group used as the reference group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in LB rates between the groups in the overall analysis, as well as, in sub-analyses investigating LB in terms of single blastocyst transfer (SBT), trigger type (GnRH agonist, triggers including hCG), oocyte number (≤ 5 and ≥ 15), and maternal age (> 35 years). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that it is feasible to perform transfers 36 days after oocyte retrieval and that delaying FET in freeze-all beyond the cycle immediately following oocyte retrieval does not increase LB rates.

Reproductive Outcomes of Segmented In Vitro Fertilization in Patients Diagnosed with Endometriomas.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of ovarian endometriomas on endometrial receptivity in frozen embryo transfer (FET) of segmented in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. DESIGN: Retrospective, matched-control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: A single, private assisted-reproduction technology center. PATIENTS: Thirty patients diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral endometriomas were compared with 60 patients without endometriomas in a population of 1894 patients who underwent segmented IVF treatment between September 2014 and September 2016. INTERVENTION: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection with blastocyst freeze-all and FET. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary endpoint of the study was a viable pregnancy (>14 weeks). The mean diameter of diagnosed endometriomas was 25.7 ± 10.6 mm. The median antral follicle count was significantly lower in the endometrioma group compared with the entire study population (11.5; interquartile range [IQR], 6.0-17.0 vs 14.0; IQR, 9.0-22.0; p = .042). The median number of mature ovarian follicles (≥14 mm) per antral follicle that developed during controlled ovarian stimulation was not significantly different between the groups (11.0 [IQR, 5.8-14.3] vs 10.0 [IQR, 6.0-15.8]; p = .908); however, the median number of oocytes retrieved was lower in the endometrioma group (11.5 [IQR, 6.0-21.5] vs 13.5 [IQR, 9.0-20.8]; p = .373). The biochemical pregnancy, implantation, and ongoing pregnancy rates were not significantly different between the endometrioma and control groups. CONCLUSION: Although ovarian endometriomas result in reduced ovarian reserve and oocyte retrieval, their impact on reproductive outcome is limited with FET.

Reproductive outcomes of IVF patients with unicornuate uteri.

In this retrospective observational study, the pregnancy, perinatal and obstetric outcomes of patients diagnosed with unicornuate uteri were compared with those of patients with normal uteri after undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and cryopreserved embryo transfer. From a select population of 9676 infertile patients receiving IVF treatment, 75 (0.78%) were diagnosed with unicornuate uteri between January 2009 and December 2015. Fifty of them underwent ICSI treatment, with 90 fresh and cryopreserved embryo transfers. No significant differences were found between the biochemical, clinical and implantation rates of the first treatment cycles of the two groups; the ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly lower (P = 0.042; 34.0 versus 53.0%) in the unicornis group, as the result of a clinically higher clinical pregnancy loss rates (22.0 versus 15.9%). Twenty-three clinical pregnancies resulted from the 50 first treatment cycles in the unicornis group, resulting in 14 live births, one ongoing pregnancy, five miscarriages, one ectopic pregnancy and two terminations. The 14 live births were delivered at 35.9 gestational weeks, with seven preterm (<37 weeks) and four low birth weight deliveries. Patients with unicornuate uteri are at increased risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, low birth weight delivery and reduced live birth rates.

Optimal embryo transfer strategy in poor response may include freeze-all.

PURPOSE: In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated the best embryo transfer strategy in ICSI cycles with ≤4 oocytes collected at oocyte retrieval. METHODS: Women who underwent antagonist co-treatment COS for ICSI treatment between January 2010 and December 2015 at a private ART clinic (N = 2263). Eight hundred seventy-nine women (group 1) had ≤4 oocytes collected at oocyte retrieval, of whom 645 (group A) had cleavage stage embryo transfer (ET), and 234 (group B) had blastocyst ET. One thousand three hundred eighty-four women (group 2) had 10-15 oocytes collected at oocyte retrieval, of whom 676 (group C) had cleavage stage ET, and 708 women (group D) had blastocyst ET. Blastocyst vitrification was performed using the Cryotop method and FET using artificial cycles. RESULTS: In group 1, the cancellation rate was significantly lower in group A (25.2 vs 38 %). The pregnancy rate (PR), clinical PR, implantation rate (IR), and live birth rate (LBR) per ET and per oocyte retrieval were all lower in group A. The clinical PR, IR, and LBR per ET of vitrified-warmed blastocyst ET were significantly the highest. In group 2, the cycle cancellation rate was significantly lower in group C (3.5 vs 13.4 %). The PR, clinical PR, and IR per ET and per oocyte retrieval were all lower in group C. The LBR per ET was significantly lower, but the LBR per oocyte retrieval was not significantly lower in group C. Again, the PR, clinical PR, and IR per ET of vitrified-warmed blastocyst ET were significantly the highest. CONCLUSIONS: Day 5 ET strategy has been reserved for normal or high responders. The improved pregnancy outcomes from blastocyst culture and cryopreservation may challenge ART to extend this benefit to poor responders.

Concurrent oocyte retrieval and hysteroscopy: a novel approach in assisted reproduction freeze-all cycles.

In this matched-controlled study (n = 300), the effect of hysteroscopic surgery performed concurrently with oocyte retrieval on the reproductive outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) freeze-all cycles was investigated in patients screened for intrauterine anomalies. Conventionally, hysterscopic surgery is performed in a different cycle from IVF, delaying treatment completion and increasing patient anxiety. One hundred and fifty patients who had hysteroscopic surgery concurrently with oocyte retrieval (hysteroscopy group) in ICSI freeze-all cycles were matched according to age and oocyte number with 150 ICSI freeze-all cycles, in which the patients required no hysteroscopy (control group). In the hysteroscopy group, hysteroscopy was performed for diagnostic (n = 5) and therapeutic (n = 145) purposes. Blastocyst culture and Cryotop vitrification was performed in both groups. Frozen embryo transfer (FET) was successfully performed in the hysteroscopy group from 35 days after oocyte retrieval. No significant differences were observed for implantation, pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and early pregnancy loss rates in the hysteroscopy and control groups (48.9%, 72.0%, 61.3% and 14.8% versus 48.3%, 75.3%, 64.7% and 14.3%, respectively). Performing hysteroscopic surgery concurrently with oocyte retrieval in a segmented-IVF programme has no negative impact on reproductive outcomes, increases efficiency, and provides patients with low-risk treatment.

Agonist depot versus OCP programming of frozen embryo transfer: a retrospective analysis of freeze-all cycles.

PURPOSE: In segmented ART treatment or so-called 'freeze-all' strategy fresh embryo transfer is deferred, embryos cryopreserved, and the embryo transferred in a subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle. The purpose of this cohort study was to compare a GnRHa depot with an oral contraceptive pill (OCP) programming protocol for the scheduling of an artificial cycle FET (AC-FET) after oocyte pick-up (OPU). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on prospectively performed segmented ART cycles performed between September 2014 and April 2015. The pregnancy, treatment duration, and cycle cancellation outcomes of 170 OCP programmed AC-FET cycles were compared with 241 GnRHa depot programmed AC-FET cycles. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the per transfer pregnancy and clinical pregnancy rates between the OCP and GnRHa groups, 72.0 versus 77.2 %, and 57.8 versus 64.3 %, respectively. Furthermore, the early pregnancy loss rate was non-significantly different between the OCP and GnRH protocol groups, 19.8 versus 16.7 %, respectively. However, nine (5.29 %) cycles were cancelled due to high progesterone in the OCP protocol group, while no cycles were cancelled in the GnRHa protocol group and the time taken between OPU and FET was 19 days longer (54.7 vs 35.6 days) in the OCP protocol compared to the GnRHa protocol. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this AC-FET programming study suggests that the inclusion of GnRHa depot cycle programming into a segmented ART treatment will ensure pregnancy, while significantly reducing treatment duration and cycle cancellation.