Comparison between Single and Double Cleavage-Stage Embryo Transfers, Single and Double Blastocyst Transfers in a South East Asian In Vitro Fertilisation Centre

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigated the differences in clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), live birth rate (LBR) and multiple pregnancy rate (MPR) between double cleavage-stage embryo transfers compared to single and double blastocysts stage embryo transfers in a single academic medical centre. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study performed at the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital In Vitro Fertilisation (KKIVF) Centre of all women who underwent fresh-cycle in vitro fertilisation/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles over a 5-year period. The outcome measures were CPR, LBR and MPR. The study included 5294 cycles, of which 539 patients underwent single embryo transfer (SET); 4533 patients underwent double embryo transfer (DET); 84 patients underwent double blastocyst transfer (DBT); and 65 patients underwent single blastocyst transfer (SBT). Results: The mean age of patients undergoing single blastocysts stage embryo transfer was lower than the other 2 groups. The DET, single and double blastocysts stage embryo transfer groups achieved similar LBR (33.9%, 38.7%, 35.4%, P >0.05) and CPR (42.4%, 46.2%, 46.9%). Conclusion: We found that single blastocysts stage embryo transfer is associated with similar LBR and CPR compared to double blastocysts stage embryo transfer and DET, with lower MPRs, and should be offered as standard practice, where possible. Key words: Infertility, Pregnancy outcomes

The influence of day 3 embryo cell number on the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates of day 5 single blastocyst transfer from frozen embryo transfer cycles

“…The transfer of cleavage-stage embryos with different numbers of blastomeres due to inconsistent developmental speeds during the process of in vitro embryo culture affects clinical outcomes [ 3 , 4 , 6 , 11 ]. The extended culture of embryos after IVF to produce blastocysts for single blastocyst transfer has become an effective method of assisted pregnancy to reduce the rate of multiple pregnancies without reducing the clinical pregnancy rate compared with double cleavage-stage embryo transfer [ 12 , 13 ]. Several factors, including maternal age, fertilization mode and in vitro culture conditions, can affect the blastocyst formation rate of human embryos cultured in vitro [ 14 – 16 ].…”

Retrospective analysis of neonates born after assisted reproductive technology and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit

“…7 A Singapore study by KK Women's and Children's Hospital In Vitro Fertilisation Centre similarly concluded that single-blastocyst transfers confer lower multiple pregnancy rates and should be offered as standard practice where possible. 8 Currently, only a third of our patients undergo eSET and only 1 embryo is transferred for first-time patients below 35 years old. Women above 35 years old are encouraged to transfer only 1 embryo.…”

The effect of elective single blastocyst transfer and elective double cleavage- stage embryo transfer on clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in fresh cycles

“…Kwek et al 12 reported that SBT had similar clinical pregnancy and live birth rates to those of DET. The present study showed that the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in the DET group were signi cantly higher than those in the SBT group.…”