title: Factors affecting assisted reproductive technology (ART) pregnancy rates: a multivariate analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine factors instrumental in achieving a clinical pregnancy in assisted reproductive technology (ART) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 205 women undergoing their first ART cycle. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for patient demographics, in vitro production data, and factors associated with embryo transfer. Odds ratios (OR) were performed where appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our analyses indicated that age (OR: 0.879), specific year in which the cycle was performed (OR: 2.959), and use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (OR: 2.867) altered potential pregnancy rate. In addition, percent fertilization (OR: 1.028), number of embryos transferred (OR: 1.842), type of catheter used to transfer the embryos (OR: 0.377), presence of blood on the catheter (OR .414), and embryologist (OR: 2.338) also altered pregnancy rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate patients' age, use of the Cook catheter, and presence of blood on the catheter reduce pregnancy rates. Performing ART in 1999, using ICSI, increasing fertilization rate, increasing number of embryos transferred (albeit less desirable when the chance of multiple gestation may occur), and transferring embryos via a particular embryologist, improve pregnancy rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Greenville Hospital System, South Carolina 29605, USA.
authors.forename: Tiffany L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Thomas P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: H Lee
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Higdon
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Boone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001723:Birth Rate; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*