Supernumerary blastocyst cryopreservation: a key prognostic indicator for patients opting for an elective single blastocyst transfer (eSBT)

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2012 Aug;29(8):783-8. doi: 10.1007/s10815-012-9788-9. Epub 2012 May 18.

Abstract

Objective: To determine if patients, less than 40 years of age with or without day 5 cryopreservation (d5 cryo), compromise their pregnancy rate (PR) by choosing an eSBT.

Design: Retrospective analysis

Setting: University IVF center

Patients: 2,203 non-donor fresh IVF cycles in women <40 years of age from January 2004 to January 2010.

Interventions: None

Main outcome measure(s): Eggs retrieved, Embryos cryopreserved, Implantation Rates, Clinical Pregnancy Rates, Live Birth Rates, Spontaneous Abortion Rates

Results: Pregnancy outcomes in women <40 years with or without d5 cryo were compared according to whether patients underwent an eSBT versus a 2BT in non-donor fresh IVF cycles. Overall, eSBT was associated with elimination of twinning while maintaining a high clinical pregnancy rate in both groups with d5 cryo (75 % eSBT versus 72 % 2BT) and groups without d5 cryo (48 % eSBT versus 56 % 2BT).

Conclusions: In this study, patients <40 years of age have eliminated twinning by electively choosing to transfer a single blastocyst without compromising their PR if embryos are available for d5 cryo, and suffer only a non-statistically significant drop in their PR if there are no embryos available for d5 cryo in exchange for the benefit of eliminating the obstetrical risk of twinning.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Induced
  • Adult
  • Blastocyst / cytology*
  • Blastocyst / physiology
  • Cryopreservation / methods*
  • Embryo Implantation
  • Embryo Transfer / methods*
  • Female
  • Fertilization in Vitro
  • Humans
  • Live Birth
  • Oocyte Retrieval / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy Rate
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Twinning, Monozygotic