Transfer of two versus three embryos in women less than 40 years old undergoing frozen transfer cycles

• Published in: Fertility and sterility Vol. 93; no. 2; pp. 355 - 359
• Main Authors: Berin, Inna, M.D, Engmann, Lawrence L., M.D, Benadiva, Claudio A., M.D, Schmidt, David W., M.D, Nulsen, John C., M.D, Maier, Donald B., M.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cryopreservation - methods; Embryo Transfer - methods; Endometrium - anatomy & histology; Estradiol - blood; Female; Fertilization in Vitro - methods; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Freezing; frozen cycle outcome; Frozen embryo transfer; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Internal Medicine; IVF; Live Birth - epidemiology; Medical sciences; multiple pregnancy; number of embryos to transfer; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Pregnancy, Multiple - statistics & numerical data; Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; IVF; multiple pregnancy; Frozen embryo transfer; number of embryos to transfer; frozen cycle outcome; Human; Embryo; Prognosis; Gynecology; Assisted procreation; Obstetrics; Freezing; In vitro fertilization embryo transfer; Embryo transfer; Multiple pregnancy; Female; Woman; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0015-0282; 1556-5653
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.01.101

Objective To compare outcomes of frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles when two or three embryos were transferred in women aged <40 years. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting A university-affiliated IVF program. Patient(s) Women undergoing FET cycles between January 2004 and December 2005. Intervention(s) Transfer of two or three embryos. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy rate (PR), multiple pregnancy rate (MPR), and live birth rate (LBR). Result(s) In patients aged <35 (n = 145), two versus three embryo group had similar PR and LBR, but the MPR was significantly higher in the three-embryo group (41% for three embryos vs. 9.4% for two embryos). Clinical pregnancy in the fresh cycle from which the frozen embryos were obtained did not affect the PR, and an increase in MPR was still observed. In patients aged 35 to 39 (n = 93), there were no differences in the PR, MPR, or LBR between the two groups. Conclusion(s) Transfer of two instead of three frozen embryos in patients <35 years old resulted in a significant decrease in MPR without compromising PR or LBR. Transferring additional embryos when a patient had an unsuccessful fresh cycle was not warranted. In the age group 35–39 years, transferring two instead of three embryos did not decrease PR or LBR, and had no effect on the risk of high-order multiples.