Abstract text
Assisted reproductive technology (ART) represents a relatively new but extremely dynamic field of medicine. Throughout its 40 year-old history, there has been a number of paradigm changes, all of which aimed to optimise the efficacy and safety of this technology. This presentation will cover all the scientific developments of the last few years that have now build the case for yet another paradigm change; the transition to predominantly frozen embryo transfers. Emerging knowledge on the effect of the supraphysiological levels of sex steroids, usually present during a stimulated cycle, on the probability of pregnancy combined with new strategies to completely eliminate the occurrence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome represent strong arguments in favour of frozen embryo transfer cycles. Dissociating ovarian stimulation from the embryo transfer, also allows for more intense stimulation, which can likely increase the cumulative live birth rate of a single aspiration and therefore reduce the need for future treatment. All these, combined with the encouraging evidence regarding the obstetric and neonatal outcomes of these pregnancies, render the option of the frozen-embryo transfer cycle quite compelling and a strong candidate as the future standard of care in IVF. This presentation will elaborate on these topics and provide guidance on the optimal strategy for frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles so that the safety and efficacy of IVF are maximised.
Predicting the future of prediction
