Impact of infertility characteristics and treatment modalities on singleton pregnancies after assisted reproduction

• Published in: Reproductive biomedicine online Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 135 - 144
• Main Authors: Poikkeus, P, Unkila-Kallio, L, Vilska, S, Repokari, L, Punamäki, R-L, Aitokallio-Tallberg, A, Sinkkonen, J, Almqvist, F, Tulppala, M, Tiitinen, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2006
• Subjects: Adult; assisted reproduction treatment; Case-Control Studies; Cryopreservation; elective single embryo transfer; Embryo Transfer; Female; Finland; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infertility - therapy; infertility characteristics; IVF; Male; obstetric and neonatal outcome; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - etiology; Pregnancy Outcome; Prognosis; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted - adverse effects; Finland; IVF; infertility characteristics; assisted reproduction treatment; elective single embryo transfer; obstetric and neonatal outcome
• ISSN: 1472-6483; 1472-6491
• DOI: 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)62027-5

Obstetric and neonatal outcomes of assisted reproduction and control singletons were evaluated after taking into account treatment characteristics and infertility background. The elective single embryo transfer (eSET) group ( n = 45) was compared with the compulsory single embryo transfer (cSET; n = 52), double embryo transfer (DET; n = 227) and control ( n = 304) groups. Infertility-related prognostic factors for neonatal outcomes were also analysed. Data were collected with structured questionnaires at gestational week 20 and 8 weeks after delivery. Spontaneous onset of delivery was more typical of the eSET group than of cSET and DET groups (68.9 versus 52.0%, P = 0.02). Mean (±SD) gestation at birth (39.3 ± 1.6 weeks) and mean birth weight (3470 ± 505 g) of eSET singletons were comparable with other assisted reproduction groups, but gestational duration was lower than in the eSET group than in the control group (39.9 ± 1.4; P < 0.05). However, numbers of preterm births and low birth weight infants were similar between groups. History of induced abortion increased risk of preterm birth (OR 4.5 and 95% CI 1.2-17.1) in assisted reproduction singletons. A small though clinically unimportant difference in gestational age at birth and birth weight between assisted reproduction and control singletons was found regardless of the number of embryos transferred.