Premium
Number of Transferred Embryos: How to Reduce Multiple Pregnancies
Author(s) -
GERMOND MARC,
PRIMI MARIEPIERRE,
URNER FRANÇOISE,
CHANSON ALAIN,
WIRTHNER DANIEL,
SENN ALFRED
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1196/annals.1335.011
Subject(s) - zygote , cryopreservation , in vitro fertilisation , embryo transfer , embryo , single embryo transfer , andrology , pregnancy rate , embryo cryopreservation , human fertilization , reproductive technology , assisted reproductive technology , gynecology , obstetrics , pregnancy , biology , medicine , embryogenesis , infertility , genetics
A bstract : Because the diagnostic tools for predicting whether an early cleavage stage embryo can lead to a viable pregnancy are still elusive, transfer of more than one embryo remains quite common. However, the only way to reduce multiple pregnancies, considered as the main adverse effect of assisted reproductive technology, is to transfer a single embryo. In countries such as Switzerland and Germany, the law allows cryopreservation only at the 2‐pronuclear stage. This restricts considerably the possibility of selecting the embryos to be transferred. Therefore, a good cryopreservation program at the 2‐pronuclear stage is an essential tool to optimize the efficiency of in vitro fertilization (IVF). We therefore recommend the Cumulated Singleton Delivery Rate (CUSIDERA) as a measure of standard IVF efficiency. This rate averages approximately 23.5% when calculated over the last 10 years in our unit and reaches a value above 35% for patients with more than 10 zygotes. Elective single‐embryo transfers and the decrease of iatrogenic multiple pregnancies in IVF remain dependent on better prognostic tools for the appropriate selection of patients, gametes, and zygotes.