Ectopic Pregnancy Rates With Cleavage Stage Embryo Transfer at Day 3 Versus Blastocyst Stage Transfer at Day 5: A Prospective Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to compare the tubal pregnancy rates between day 3 and day 5 transfers. As theoretically blastocyst transfer is said to decrease the incidence of ectopic pregnancy following IVF-ET due to the decreased uterine contractility reported on day 5. METHODS: A prospective analysis of all clinical pregnancies conceived in our IVF program between May 2010 to April 2011 was performed. The ectopic pregnancy rates were compared for day 3 and day 5 transfers. RESULTS: There were 44 pregnancies resulting from day 3 transfers of which one was ectopic (2.27%). In day 5 transfers, there was also one ectopic pregnancies out of 66 clinical pregnancies (1.52%), difference between these rates was not statistically significant (P>0.05) CONCLUSION: This suggests that the ectopic pregnancy rate is not reduced following blastocyst transfer on day 5 compared to cleavage stage embryo on day 3. While there may be several benefits to extended culture in IVF, the decision to offer blastocyst transfer should be made independently from the issue of ectopic pregnancy risk.