Blastocyst transfer: a useful tool for reduction of high-order multiple gestations in a human assisted reproduction program.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the efficacy of blastocyst transfer in decreasing the incidence of high-order multiple gestations after in vitro fertilization.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective analysis of 218 patients who were undergoing in vitro fertilization and by our criteria of three 8-cell embryos on day 3 could receive either a day 3 transfer of cleaved embryos or a day 5 transfer of blastocysts. Ongoing pregnancy rates, implantation rates (determined by the total number of visualized gestational sacs), and multiple pregnancy rates were compared between the 2 groups.


RESULTS
Respective day 3 and day 5 ongoing pregnancy rates (61% and 51%) and implantation rates (35% and 33%) were not significantly different. There were 9 triplet or higher gestations in the day 3 group and 0 in the day 5 group.


CONCLUSIONS
Blastocyst transfer can be used to reduce the number of embryos transferred and the resultant incidence of high-order multiple pregnancies while maintaining high pregnancy rates.
Toledo
A A
AA
Reproductive Biology Associates, Atlanta, GA 30342, USA.
Wright
G
G
Jones
A E
AE
Smith
S S
SS
Johnson-Ward
J
J
Brockman
W W
WW
Ng
F
F
Wininger
J D
JD
D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome