title: Improvement of IVF results and optimisation of quality control by using intermittent activity.
abstract: For several years the present authors' team had not been satisfied with the pregnancy rate achieved by their unit, especially in comparison with the results achieved by other teams with a similar population. A quality programme was established, and it was decided to switch from non-stop to intermittent activity. It was envisaged that this programme would provide a more realistic view of the team's activity and could also, as a secondary effect, improve its results. The team's experience of an in-series organization was presented for the management of 408 consecutive infertile couples, during 2002. The results obtained during 2002 were compared with those for two previous years. There was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the clinical pregnancy rate per oocyte retrieval from 28.9% (2000) and 25.2% (2001) to 41% (2002) in IVF and from 23% (2000) and 26% (2001) to 38.5% (2002) in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A significant increase (P < 0.01) was also observed in the implantation rate, from 14.8% and 13.4% to 20% in IVF and from 12.1% and 12.9% to 23.5% in ICSI. The higher pregnancy rate was achieved without an increase in the multiple pregnancy rate. In conclusion, recent data support the hypothesis that the use of a quality management system, can, as in this case, have positive repercussions on pregnancy rates.
authors.affiliation: Service de Génétique et Reproduction, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, 157 rue de la porte de Trivaux 92140 Clamart, France. nelly.frydman@abc.ap-hop-paris.fr
authors.forename: Nelly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Frydman
authors.forename: Rénato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fanchin
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Le Dû
authors.forename: Marie Catherine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bourrier
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tachdjian
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frydman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011786:Quality Control; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000592:standards*