Does a vitrified blastocyst stage embryo transfer program need hormonal priming for endometrial preparation?
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical outcomes of a vitrified blastocyst stage embryo transfer (ET) program among natural, ovulation induced and artificial cycles.


METHODS
The clinical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in three groups according to endometrial preparation (natural cycle group [n = 34], ovulation induced [n = 21], and artificial cycles [n = 70]) among women that underwent vitrified blastocyst stage ET.


RESULTS
The overall pregnancy rate was 48.8%. There were no significant differences in the duration of endometrial preparation, endometrial thickness on the day of progesterone or human chorionic gonadotropin administration, implantation and clinical pregnancy rates among the three groups. Triple-line endometrial patterns were more frequently observed in the natural and ovulation induced groups than in the artificial cycle group (85.3% vs 64.3%, P = 0.021; 90.5% vs 64.3%, P = 0.016).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the types of endometrial preparation may have no significant effect on the clinical outcomes of vitrified blastocyst ET. Hormonal priming does not appear to be a prerequisite for endometrial preparation for vitrified blastocyst ET.
Kim
Yong Jin
YJ
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Young Sik
YS
Lee
Won Don
WD
Kim
Ki Chul
KC
Jee
Byung Chul
BC
Suh
Chang Suk
CS
Kim
Seok Hyun
SH
Moon
Shin Yong
SY
D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol