Does gravidity influence the success of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer cycles?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of gravidity on the results of in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer (ET) cycles.


METHODS
All consecutive women aged <35 years admitted to our IVF unit from January 2002 to December 2004 were enrolled in the study. Only patients undergoing one of their first three IVF cycle attempts were included. Gravidity, ovarian stimulation characteristics, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryo transferred and clinical pregnancy rate were assessed.


RESULTS
Three hundred and forty-two consecutive IVF cycles were evaluated. One hundred and sixty-one cycles were from nulligravidas and 181 from women with a history of at least one previous clinical pregnancy. Forty-eight (29.8%) clinical pregnancies were observed in the nulligravida group and 56 (30.9%) in the gravida group. There were no differences between nulligravidas and gravidas in causes of infertility, length of ovarian stimulation, peak estradiol and progesterone levels, number of oocytes retrieved, fertilization rate and number of embryos transferred. Gravidas were significantly older (30.4 vs. 27.6 years, p < 0.001) and used more gonadotropin ampoules (36.1 vs. 31.8, p < 0.004) compared with the nulligravidas.


CONCLUSIONS
Patient gravidity has no influence on the likelihood of achieving pregnancy in IVF-ET cycles.
Rabinson
Jacob
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Barzilai Medical Center, Ashkelon, Israel.
Bar-Hava
Itai
I
Meltcer
Simion
S
Zohav
Efraim
E
Anteby
Eyal
E
Orvieto
Raoul
R
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016896:Treatment Outcome