The effect of embryo transfer technique on pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles: A prospective cohort study

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether embryo transfer affects pregnancy rates in in vitro fertilization-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF-ICSI) treatment. Materials and Methods: A total of 2,257 patients who underwent IVF-ICSI treatment between 2012 and 2017 were included in this study. Subjects were categorized according to the embryo transfer technique that was required: group 1 (n=1,657) underwent easy transfer with a soft catheter; group 2 (n=548) received external guidance transfers; and group 3 (n=52) experienced difficult transfers with a stylet. Basal parameters, clinical and laboratory IVF-ICSI outcomes, and clinical pregnancy rates (CPR) were compared between the groups. Results: There were no differences between the groups in terms of age, body mass index, smoking status, duration and etiology of infertility, baseline folliclestimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol (E 2 ), thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin levels, antral follicle count, duration of stimulation, stimulation protocol, total gonadotropin dose required, peak E 2 levels, progesterone levels, and endometrial thickness on human chorionic gonadotropin administration and transfer days (p>0.05). The numbers of oocytes retrieved, MII and 2PN, fertilization rate, day of embryo transfer, and CPRs were also comparable between the groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our data suggest that embryo transfer has no impact on pregnancy rates in patients who undergo IVF-ICSI treatment. Further studies with more participants are required to elucidate this situation.

The impact of difficult embryo transfer on the success of IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…All were statistically significant (p < 0.0001) and heterogeneity varied between 0 and 42%. The pooled OR for prospective 14 – 17 , 21 and retrospective studies 11 – 13 , 18 – 20 , 22 – 26 were 0.76 (95%CI: 0.66–0.88) and 0.69 (95%CI: 0.62–0.75), respectively (Fig. 4 A).…”