Elective single versus double embryo transfer: live birth outcome and patient acceptance in a prospective randomised trial

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás Prados ◽  
Rocío Quiroga ◽  
Cinzia Caligara ◽  
Myriam Ruiz ◽  
Víctor Blasco ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine which strategy of embryo transfer has a better trade-off in live birth delivery rate versus multiple pregnancy considering patient acceptance: elective single embryo transfer (eSET) or elective double embryo transfer (eDET). In all, 199 women <38 years of age undergoing their first IVF treatment in a private centre were included in a prospective open-label randomised controlled trial. Patients were randomised into four groups: (1) eSET on Day 3; (2) eSET on Day 5; (3) eDET on Day 3; and (4) eDET on Day 5. Per patient, main analysis included acceptance of assigned group, as well as multiple and live birth delivery rates of the fresh cycle. Secondary analysis included the rates of subsequent cryotransfers and the theoretical cumulative success rate. Of 98 patients selected for eSET, 40% refused and preferred eDET. The live birth delivery rate after eDET was significantly higher after eDET versus eSET (65% vs 42%, respectively; odds ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1–2.1). No multiple births were observed after eSET, compared with 35% after eDET. Although live birth delivery is higher with eDET, the increased risk of multiple births is avoided with eSET. Nearly half the patients refused eSET even after having been well informed about its benefits.

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C A Pena ◽  
J Chambost ◽  
C Hickman ◽  
C Jacques ◽  
K Wiemer ◽  
...  

Abstract Study question Can Machine Learning predict multiple pregnancy based on data specific to the embryos and the patient? Summary answer Embryo data are useful in determining which embryos are likely to lead to multiple pregnancy. Patient age has low predictive value compared to embryo data. What is known already Our previous assessment of the HFEA data demonstrated that single embryo transfer (SET) in the UK occurred in a minority (45%) of fresh cycles, with a marginal increase in live birth rate (LBR) in some patient cohorts in favor of multiple embryo transfer (MET). Current policies on determining number of embryos for transfer tend to be generic and do not account for detailed embryology data. Generic policies may compromise LBR for some patients that would benefit from MET. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to assist in this decision process. Study design, size, duration Retrospective cohort analysis from 2013 to 2020 of 193 cycles with 386 embryos used in double ETs on day 5 at POMA fertility clinic with positive live birth outcome. ML model, xgboost, was trained to predict multiple live birth (N = 54) versus single live birth (N = 139). Detailed embryology data from day 1 to day 5 were used as input. Participants/materials, setting, methods Input of the machine learning model included patient age and 18 morphological parameters collected on days 1, 2, 3 and 5 (symmetry, number of cells, blastocyst status, fragmentation, ICM and troph grades) from the two transferred embryos. An xgboost algorithm was trained on 80% of the data (n = 154) and tested on 20% of blind data (n = 39). Main results and the role of chance Xgboost machine learning algorithm predicted multiple live birth on the blind dataset with an accuracy of 72%, with an AUC of 0.60, showing better results than random. PPV (true prediction of multiple births) was 64% and NPV (true prediction of single birth) was 75%. The following parameters ranked high in the predictive power of the machine learning (in order of predictive power): blastocyst status on day 5 of both embryos, symmetry on day 3, number of cells on day 2, scores on day 2 and 3. Limitations, reasons for caution: The dataset was derived from a single clinic with manual annotations and may not be transferable to other clinics. The risk of bias is important as the model was trained only àon embryos that were transferred and led to at least one birth Wider implications of the findings: A tool to help identify which patients are at increased risk of MP with MET would be clinically useful to help patients and clinical team make the best personalised decision for a specific embryo, finding the balance between maximising success rate whilst minimising multiple pregnancy rate and its associated risks. Trial registration number Not applicable


Author(s):  
Racca Annalisa ◽  
Panagiotis Drakopoulos ◽  
Samuel dos Santos Ribeiro ◽  
Christophe Blockeel

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Justus Hofmeyr ◽  
Mandisa Singata-Madliki ◽  
Theresa A Lawrie ◽  
Eduardo Bergel ◽  
Marleen Temmerman

BackgroundEvidence from observational studies suggests an increased risk of HIV acquisition among women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) contraception.MethodsWithin the context of a South African programme to increase women's access to the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), we conducted a pragmatic, open-label, parallel-arm, randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the IUD versus injectable progestogen contraception (IPC) at two South African hospitals. The primary outcome was pregnancy; secondary outcomes included HIV acquisition. Consenting women attending termination of pregnancy services were randomised after pregnancy termination between July 2009 and November 2012. Condoms were promoted for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Voluntary HIV testing was offered at baseline and at 12 or more months later. Findings on HIV acquisition are reported in this article.ResultsHIV acquisition data were available for 1290 initially HIV-negative women who underwent a final study interview at a median of 20 months after randomisation to IPC or an IUD. Baseline group characteristics were comparable. In the IPC group, 545/656 (83%) of participants received DMPA, 96 (15%) received injectable norethisterone enanthate, 14 (2%) received the IUD and one received oral contraception. In the IUD group 609 (96%) received the IUD, 20 (3%) received IPC and 5 (1%) had missing data. According to intention-to-treat analysis, HIV acquisition occurred in 20/656 (3.0%) women in the IPC arm and 22/634 (3.5%) women in the IUD arm (IPC vs IUD, risk ratio 0.88; 95% confidence interval 0.48–1.59;p=0.7).ConclusionsThis sub-study was underpowered to rule out moderate differences in HIV risk, but confirms the feasibility of randomised trial methodology to address this question. Larger RCTs are needed to determine the relative risks of various contraceptive methods on HIV acquisition with greater precision.Trial registration numberPan African Clinical Trials Registry number PACTR201409000880157 (04-09-2014).


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Prentice ◽  
Lynn Sadler ◽  
Sarah Lensen ◽  
Melissa Vercoe ◽  
Jack Wilkinson ◽  
...  

Abstract STUDY QUESTIONS In couples with unexplained infertility and a poor prognosis of natural conception, are four cycles of IUI with ovarian stimulation (IUI-OS) non-inferior to one completed cycle of IVF for the outcome of cumulative live birth? Are four cycles of IUI-OS associated with a lower cost per live birth compared to one completed cycle of IVF? Will four cycles of IUI-OS followed by one complete cycle of IVF result in as many live births at lower cost per live birth, than two complete cycles of IVF? Will four cycles of IUI-OS followed by two complete cycles of IVF result in more live births at lower cost per live birth, than two complete cycles of IVF alone? WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY IUI is widely used in the USA, the UK and Europe as a low cost, less invasive alternative to IVF for couples with unexplained infertility. Although three to six cycles of IUI were comparable to IVF in the three major studies carried out to date, gonadotrophin ovarian stimulation was used in the majority of cases, and this also resulted in a high multiple pregnancy rate in some studies. Ovarian stimulation with clomiphene citrate is known to have lower multiple pregnancy rates. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The FIIX study is a multicentre, open label, parallel, pragmatic non-inferiority randomized controlled trial of 580 couples with unexplained infertility comparing four cycles of IUI-OS with clomiphene citrate and one completed cycle of IVF. Variable block randomization stratified by age and clinic with electronic allocation will be used. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Couples with poor prognosis for natural conception and who are eligible for publicly funded fertility treatment in six fertility clinics in New Zealand. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Auckland Medical Research Fund (3718892/1119003), A+ Trust, Auckland District Health Board (A + 8479), Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust (3718514). No competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12619001003167. TRIAL REGISTRATION DATE 15 July 2019 DATE OF FIRST PATIENT’S ENROLMENT 02/08/2019


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Emanuele Levi-Setti ◽  
Andrea Busnelli ◽  
Annalisa Bodina ◽  
Roberto De Luca ◽  
Giulia Scaravelli

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the IVF success rates and the economic cost per delivery in all the public funded IVF Units in Lombardy in the 2017–2018 period and to assess any significant difference in ART outcomes among the enrolled centers.Methods: Analysis of costs for the 2017 and 2018 fresh transfer delivery rate (DR) and Cumulative delivery rate (CDR) considering both fresh and frozen cycles were extracted from the ART Italian Registry on oocytes retrievals, fresh and frozen embryos and oocytes embryo transfer performed in 22 Lombardy IVF Units.Results: In 2017, 29,718 procedures were performed, resulting in 4,543 pregnancies and 3,253 deliveries. In 2018, there were 29,708 procedures, 4,665 pregnancies and 3,348 deliveries. Pregnancies lost to follow up were 5.0% with a (range of 0–67.68%) in 2017 and 3.4% (range of 0–45.1%) in 2018. The cost reimbursement for the cycles were €2,232 ($2,611) for oocyte retrieval and €2,194 ($2,567) for embryo transfer, excluding ovarian stimulation therapy and luteal phase support. 19.33 (5.80). The DR was 13.23 ± 5.69% (range 2.86–29.11%) in 2017 and 19.33 ± 5.80% in 2018 (range 11.82–34.98 %) and the CDR was 19.86 ± 9.38% (range 4.43–37.88%) in 2017 and 21.32 ± 8.84% (range 4.24–37.11%). The mean multiple pregnancy delivery rate (MDR) was 11.08 ± 5.55% (range 0.00–22.73%) in 2017 and 10.41 ± 4.99% (range 1.33–22.22%) in 2018. The mean CDR cost in euros was 26,227 ± 14,737 in 2017 and 25,018 ± 16,039 in 2018. The mean CDR cost among centers was 12,480 to 76,725 in 2017 and 12,973 to 86,203 in 2018.Conclusions: Our findings show impressive differences in the DR and CDR among centers and the importance of cryopreservation in patients' safety and economic cost reduction suggesting the formulation of specific KPI's (Key performance indexes) and minimal performance indexes (PI) as a basis for the allocation of public or insurance resources. In particular, the reduction of multiple pregnancy rates costs, may lead to a more widespread use of ART even in lower resources countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjie Wang ◽  
Jiali Cai ◽  
Lanlan Liu ◽  
Yingpei Xu ◽  
Zhenfang Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background While single embryo transfer (SET) is widely advocated, double embryo transfer (DET) remains preferable in clinical practice to improve IVF success rate, especially in poor prognosis patients with only poor quality embryos (PQEs) available in addition to one or no good quality embryos (GQEs). Furthermore, previous studies suggest PQE might adversely affect the implantation of a GQE when transferred together. This study aims to evaluate the effect of transferring an additional PQE with a GQE on the outcomes in poor prognosis patients. Methods A total of 5037 frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT) cycles between January 2012 and May 2019 were included. Propensity score matching was applied to control for potential confounders, and we used generalized estimating equations (GEE) models to identify the association between the effect of an additional PQE and the outcomes. Results Overall, transferring a PQE with GQE (Group GP) achieved significantly higher pregnancy rate (PR), live birth rate (LBR) and multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) than GQE only (group G). The addition of a PQE increased LBR in patients aged 35 and over and in patients who received over 3 cycles of embryo transfer (ET) (48.1% vs 27.2%, OR:2.56, 95% CI: 1.3–5.03 and 46.6% vs 35.4%, OR:1.6, 95% CI: 1.09–2.35), but not in women under 35 and in women who received less than 3 cycles of ET (48.7% vs 43.9%, OR:1.22, 95% CI: 0.93–1.59 and 48.3% vs 41.4%, OR:1.33, 95% CI: 0.96–1.85). Group GP resulted in significantly higher MPR than group G irrespective of age and the number of previous IVF cycles. Conclusions An additional PQE does not negatively affect the implantation potential of the co-transferred GQE. Nevertheless, the addition of a PQE contributes to both live birth and multiple birth in poor prognosis patients. Physicians should still balance the benefits and risks of DET.


Zygote ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chadi Yazbeck ◽  
Nadia Ben Jamaa ◽  
André Hazout ◽  
Paul Cohen-Bacrie ◽  
Anne-Marie Junca ◽  
...  

SummaryThe aim of this study was to evaluate the advantages of the two-step embryo transfer (ET) strategy combining a day 2/3 ET with a day 5/6 blastocyst transfer. In an observational comparative study, 400 infertile women were enrolled from two assisted reproductive technology (ART) units according to inclusion criteria: age below 42 years and at least three embryos obtained on day 2 thus allowing an extended in vitro culture. Two groups were defined according to the ET strategy adopted: group 1 had a two-step ET; and group 2 had a day 2/3 ET with (subgroup 2a) or without (subgroup 2b) blastocysts cryopreserved on day 5/6. Live birth rate was significantly higher in group 1 than in subgroups 2a and 2b (36.5% versus 29.4% and 13.4%, respectively; p < 10−3). Multiple pregnancy rates were comparable between groups. After adjusting on major prognostic factors, the two-step ET strategy was still associated with a significantly higher live birth rate than the day 2/3 ET (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.32–3.77). The two-step ET provides better live birth rates than the cleavage-stage ET. It does not increase multiple pregnancy rates if the number of embryos transferred is limited. It also prevents cycle loss when embryos fail to develop into blastocysts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gosálvez Vega ◽  
M. Rodriguez Mazaira ◽  
N. Martin Fernandez ◽  
M. Iglesias Nuñez ◽  
M Brandt ◽  
...  

Abstract Study question Can simultaneous transfer of two embryos that were cryopreserved at different stages (D3 and Blastocyst) be appropriate to enhance success in women with more than three failed embryo transfers? Summary answer Double asynchronous embryo transfer offered excellent results in RIF. Unexpectedly high twin rate suggests that embryo-endometrium synchrony is overemphasized. Implantation window must be wider. What is known already Transcriptomic signature of the endometrium has been investigated in the last few years trying to understand the best moment for embryo implantation. Nevertheless, the optimal period has not been well established yet in humans. Simultaneous transfer of two human embryos at different developmental stages (D3 and Blastocyst) on Day 4 was proposed to help couples who have had RIF. Study design, size, duration Observational case-control study. From April 2016 to January 2021, we offered double asynchronous embryo transfer only after Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF). Two requirements were necessary: 1) Double embryo transfer was acceptable by the couple due to poor reproductive outcome. 2) Availability of two embryos cryopreserved at different stage (D3 and Blastocyst). Results were compared with good prognosis patients (all patients under 35 years in that period who had elected to transfer two day 3 cryopreserved embryos). Participants/materials, setting, methods Forty-five patients accepted to participate in the study. Results were compared with all patients (237) under 35 years where two D3 thawed embryos were transferred. All cases received same protocol (oral estradiol 6mg/d or vaginal estradiol 4mg/d until ultrasound showed endometrial growth) LH, P4 and E2 were monitored in all patients to detect spontaneous LH surge. All cases received transvaginal micronized progesterone 800 mg/d. Embryo transfers were ultrasound guided and Wallace Embryosure catheter was employed. Main results and the role of chance Limitations, reasons for caution Multiple pregnancy rate was unacceptably high. Therefore, it should not be suggested for good prognosis couples where single embryo transfer is clearly advidsed. Our main limitation was the combination of D3 embryos with blastocysts. The retrospective design make the results to be considered as a proof of concept. Wider implications of the findings Double asynchronic embryo transfer can offer new insights in the understanding of human implantation. The concept of implantation window is clearly challenged. Aiming to the center of the window is fine, but we still dońt know how wide is that center. Trial registration number not applicable


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