TY - JOUR
T1 - Cumulative live birth rate of a blastocyst versus cleavage stage embryo transfer policy during in vitro fertilisation in women with a good prognosis
T2 - multicentre randomised controlled trial
AU - Cornelisse, Simone
AU - Fleischer, Kathrin
AU - van der Westerlaken, Lucette
AU - de Bruin, Jan Peter
AU - Vergouw, Carlijn
AU - Koks, Carolien
AU - Derhaag, Josien
AU - Visser, Jantien
AU - van Echten-Arends, Jannie
AU - Slappendel, Els
AU - Arends, Brigitte
AU - van der Zanden, Moniek
AU - van Dongen, Angelique
AU - Brink-van der Vlugt, Janneke
AU - de Hundt, Marcella
AU - Curfs, Max
AU - Verhoeve, Harold
AU - Traas-Hofmans, Maaike
AU - Wurth, Yvonne
AU - Manger, Petra
AU - Pieterse, Quirine
AU - Braat, Didi
AU - van Wely, Madelon
AU - Ramos, Liliana
AU - Mastenbroek, Sebastiaan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2024/9/16
Y1 - 2024/9/16
N2 - Objectives: To evaluate whether embryo transfers at blastocyst stage improve the cumulative live birth rate after oocyte retrieval, including both fresh and frozen-thawed transfers, and whether the risk of obstetric and perinatal complications is increased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfers during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Design: Multicentre randomised controlled trial. Setting: 21 hospitals and clinics in the Netherlands, 18 August 2018 to 17 December 2021. Participants: 1202 women with at least four embryos available on day 2 after oocyte retrieval were randomly assigned to either blastocyst stage embryo transfer (n=603) or cleavage stage embryo transfer (n=599). Interventions: In the blastocyst group and cleavage group, embryo transfers were performed on day 5 and day 3, respectively, after oocyte retrieval, followed by cryopreservation of surplus embryos. Analysis was on an intention-to-treat basis, with secondary analyses as per protocol. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the cumulative live birth rate per oocyte retrieval, including results of all frozen-thawed embryo transfers within a year after randomisation. Secondary outcomes included cumulative rates of pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and live birth after fresh embryo transfer, number of embryo transfers needed, number of frozen embryos, and obstetric and perinatal outcomes. Results: The cumulative live birth rate did not differ between the blastocyst group and cleavage group (58.9% (355 of 603) v 58.4% (350 of 599; risk ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.22). The blastocyst group showed a higher live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer (1.26, 1.00 to 1.58), lower cumulative pregnancy loss rate (0.68, 0.51 to 0.89), and lower mean number of embryo transfers needed to result in a live birth (1.55 v 1.82; P<0.001). The incidence of moderate preterm birth (32 to <37 weeks) in singletons was higher in the blastocyst group (1.87, 1.05 to 3.34). Conclusion: Blastocyst stage embryo transfers resulted in a similar cumulative live birth rate to cleavage stage embryo transfers in women with at least four embryos available during IVF treatment. Trial registration: International Clinical Trial Registry Platform NTR7034.
AB - Objectives: To evaluate whether embryo transfers at blastocyst stage improve the cumulative live birth rate after oocyte retrieval, including both fresh and frozen-thawed transfers, and whether the risk of obstetric and perinatal complications is increased compared with cleavage stage embryo transfers during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Design: Multicentre randomised controlled trial. Setting: 21 hospitals and clinics in the Netherlands, 18 August 2018 to 17 December 2021. Participants: 1202 women with at least four embryos available on day 2 after oocyte retrieval were randomly assigned to either blastocyst stage embryo transfer (n=603) or cleavage stage embryo transfer (n=599). Interventions: In the blastocyst group and cleavage group, embryo transfers were performed on day 5 and day 3, respectively, after oocyte retrieval, followed by cryopreservation of surplus embryos. Analysis was on an intention-to-treat basis, with secondary analyses as per protocol. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the cumulative live birth rate per oocyte retrieval, including results of all frozen-thawed embryo transfers within a year after randomisation. Secondary outcomes included cumulative rates of pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and live birth after fresh embryo transfer, number of embryo transfers needed, number of frozen embryos, and obstetric and perinatal outcomes. Results: The cumulative live birth rate did not differ between the blastocyst group and cleavage group (58.9% (355 of 603) v 58.4% (350 of 599; risk ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84 to 1.22). The blastocyst group showed a higher live birth rate after fresh embryo transfer (1.26, 1.00 to 1.58), lower cumulative pregnancy loss rate (0.68, 0.51 to 0.89), and lower mean number of embryo transfers needed to result in a live birth (1.55 v 1.82; P<0.001). The incidence of moderate preterm birth (32 to <37 weeks) in singletons was higher in the blastocyst group (1.87, 1.05 to 3.34). Conclusion: Blastocyst stage embryo transfers resulted in a similar cumulative live birth rate to cleavage stage embryo transfers in women with at least four embryos available during IVF treatment. Trial registration: International Clinical Trial Registry Platform NTR7034.
U2 - 10.1136/bmj-2024-080133
DO - 10.1136/bmj-2024-080133
M3 - Article
SN - 0959-8146
VL - 386
JO - BMJ
JF - BMJ
M1 - e080133
ER -