Clin Exp Reprod Med.  2017 Sep;44(3):141-145. 10.5653/cerm.2017.44.3.141.

Efficacy of embryo transfer on day 2 versus day 3 according to maternal age in patients with normal ovarian response

• Lee JW
• Cha JH
• Shin SH
• Kim YJ
• Lee SK
• Park CK
• Pak KA
• Yoon JS
• Park SY

• KMID: 2390492
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5653/cerm.2017.44.3.141

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Delaying embryo transfer (ET) enables us to select among the embryos available for transfer and is associated with positive effects on implantation and pregnancy outcomes. However, the optimal day for ET of human cleavage-stage embryos remains controversial.
METHODS
A retrospective study of 3,124 in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles (2,440 patients) was conducted. We compared the effects of day 2 and 3 ET on rates of implantation and pregnancy outcomes between young maternal age (YMA; <38 years old, n=2,295) and old maternal age (OMA; ≥38 years old, n=829) patient groups.
RESULTS
The YMA and OMA groups did not differ in terms of patient characteristics except for the proportion of unexplained factor infertility, which was significantly greater in the OMA group, and the proportion of arrested embryos, which was significantly greater in the YMA group. However, the biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, abortion, and implantation rates per cycle were not significantly different between day 2 and 3 ET in the YMA group or the OMA group.
CONCLUSION
We suggest that offering patients the opportunity to decide which day would be suitable for ET could be part of a patient-friendly protocol that takes into consideration an infertile woman's circumstances and work schedule by allowing ET to be performed on day 2 instead of the traditional transfer on day 3.

Keyword

Clinical pregnancy; Embryo transfer; Implantation; Maternal age

MeSH Terms

Appointments and Schedules
Embryo Transfer*
Embryonic Structures*
Female
Humans
In Vitro Techniques
Infertility
Maternal Age*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Retrospective Studies
Spermatozoa