Factors influencing the outcome of embryo freezing and thawing program

Objective: To investigate the factors that might influence the success of an embryo freezing and thawing program. Method: The relationship between the pregnancy rate in 73 cycles of embryo freezing and thawing program and the following factors was analyzed: maternal age, E 2 level at the time of HCG trigger, embryo storage time, number of thawed embryos transferred, presence of sponsoring embryos and intact embryos. And the survival rate of thawed embryos with different morphology, cell stage and storage time was evaluated. Result: Transfer with three or more than three thawed embryos resulted in pregnancy rates of 38.5% and 35.7%, respectively, compared with 5.3% for transfer of fewer than three embryos. The presence of sponsoring embryos and intact embryos significantly increases pregnancy rate in embryo freezing and thawing program. No other factor examined had any effect on pregnancy outcome. The survival rate of good morphology embryos was higher than poor ones, but was not influenced by cell stage and storage time. Conclusion: Embryo morphology before freezing, number of thawed embryos transferred and the presence of intact embryos are important to the outcome of embryo freezing and thawing program.

Influence of Blastocysts Morphological Score on Pregnancy Outcomes in Frozen-thawed Blastocyst Transfers: a Retrospective Study of 741 Cycles

The influence of inner cell mass （ICM） and trophectoderm （TE） score on pregnancy out- comes in frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles was analyzed. A retrospective analysis of 741 cycles of frozen-thawed blastosysts transfer was performed. All cycles were divided into four groups based on the number and morphological score of blastocysts： S-ICM B/TE B group （n=91）, the single blastocyst transfer oflCM B and TE B; D-ICM B/TE B group （n=579）, double blastocysts transfer oflCM B/TE B; D-1CM B/TE C group （n=35）, double blastocysts transfer of ICM B/TE C; and D-ICM C/TE B group （n=36）, double blastocysts transfer ofTE B/ICM C. The pregnancy outcomes were compared among the four groups. As compared with D-ICM B/TE C group, the clinical pregnancy rate, implantation rate and multiple pregnancy rate were increased in D-ICM B/TE B group （74.96% vs. 57.14%, 57.43% vs. 37.14%, and .48.62% vs. 25%, respectively, P〈0.05 for all）. Clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate in D-ICM B/TE B group were also higher than in D-ICM C/TE B group （74.96% vs. 50%, and 57.43% vs. 33.33%, both P〈0.05）. Multivariable Logistic regression analysis indicated that ICM score was a better predictive parameter for clinical pregnancy （OR=3.05, CI 1.70-5.46, P〈0.001）, while the trophectoderm score was a better one for early abortion （OR=0.074, CI 0.03-0.19, P〈0.001）. Clinical pregnancy rate and multiple pregnancy rate in S-ICM B/TE B group were significantly lower than those in D-ICM B/TE B group （46.15% vs. 74.96%, and 2.38% vs. 48.62%, both P〈0.05）, but there was no si~,,niflcant difference in the implantation rate between the two groups. It was suggested that the higher score of ICM and TE may be indicative of the better pregnancy outcomes. The ICM score is a better predictor of clinical pregnancy than TE, while TE score is a better one in predicting early abortion. Sin- gle ICM B/TE B blastocyst transfer in frozen-thawed cycles can also get satisfactory pregnancy out- comes.

Spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome: Report of two cases

BACKGROUND Spontaneous ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome(s OHSS) is extremely rare. It can be divided into four types according to its clinical manifestations and follicle stimulating hormone receptor mutations.CASE SUMMARY Here we report two cases of s OHSS in Chinese women, one with a singleton gestation developing s OHSS in the first trimester who conceived naturally and the other with a twin pregnancy developing s OHSS in the second trimester after a thawed embryo transfer cycle. Both patients were admitted to the hospital with abdominal distension, ascites, and enlarged ovaries. Conservative treatment was the primary option of management. The first patient had spontaneous onset labor at 40 wk of gestation and underwent an uncomplicated vaginal delivery of a male newborn. The second patient delivered a female baby and a male baby by caesarean section at 35 wk and 1 d of gestation.CONCLUSION Patients with a history of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome should be closely monitored. Single embryo transfer might reduce the risk of this rare syndrome.