Non-Lactobacillus dominance of the vagina is associated with reduced live birth rate following IVF/ICSI: a propensity score-matched cohort study

Abstract Background: The optimal means to prepare the endometrial preparation for PCOS patients is a topic of ongoing controversy. Our objective was to compare the clinical outcomes of frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) with and without pretreatment gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated 1638 consecutive cycles between June 2014 and December 2017 in the Assisted Reproduction Center of Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital. The patients who underwent FET were assigned to two groups as follows: hormone replacement treatment (HRT) group, comprising 1115 cycles; HRT with GnRHa pretreatment (GnRHa + HRT), comprising 523 cycles. Patients using GnRHa + HRT (n=519) were matched with 519 patients using HRT. Results: The live birth rate was higher in the GnRHa + HRT group compared with the HRT group with no significant difference (60.4% vs 55.5%, p=0.062). The clinical pregnancy rate (72.74% vs 75.33%), miscarriage rate (14.26% vs 13.96%) and ectopic pregnancy rate (0.36% vs 0.38%) were similar between the two groups. The preterm birth rate in HRT was lower than GnRHa + HRT (14.08% vs 20.08%). There were no significant interactions in any of the subgroups (p>0.05 for all comparisons). In the unadjusted model and adjusted model, the live birth rate was comparable between GnRHa + HRT and HRT group (OR 1.22, 95%CI, 0.99-1.51, p=0.062; aOR 1.56, 95%CI, 1.001-2.41, p=0.048). Similar results were obtained after propensity score matching in the entire cohort. Conclusions: GnRHa pretreatment could not improve the live birth rate in women with PCOS.

Download Full-text

Live Birth Rate of Frozen-Thawed Single Blastocyst Transfer After 6 or 7 Days of Progesterone Administration in Hormone Replacement Therapy Cycles: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study

Frontiers in Endocrinology ◽

10.3389/fendo.2021.706427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Xinhong Yang ◽

Zhiqin Bu ◽

Linli Hu

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Propensity Score ◽

Live Birth ◽

Birth Rate ◽

Hormone Replacement ◽

Live Birth Rate ◽

First Trimester ◽

Blastocyst Transfer ◽

High Quality ◽

Trimester Abortion

BackgroundProgesterone administration before transfer in hormone replacement treatment (HRT) is crucial to pregnancy outcomes in frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FET), but the optimal progesterone duration is inconsistent. The objective of this study was to investigate live birth rate (LBR) of different progesterone duration before blastocyst transfer in HRT–FET cycles.MethodIn this retrospective cohort study, patients underwent first HRT–FET (including suppression HRT) from January 2016 to December 2019 were included. Logit-transformed propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to assess covariates. The primary outcome was live birth rate after 28 weeks’ gestation. Basing on different duration of progesterone before transfer, patients were classified into P6-protocol (blastocyst transfer performed on the sixth day), or P7-protocol (blastocyst transfer performed on the seventh day). Subgroup analyses were conducted as follows: age stratification (–35, 35–38, 38–), development days of blastocyst (D5 or D6), blastocyst quality (high-quality or poor-quality), and endometrial preparation protocols (HRT or suppression HRT).ResultAfter case matching with propensity score methods, a total of 1,400 patients were included finally: 700 with P6-protocol and 700 with P7-protocol. Significantly higher live birth rate (38.43% versus 31.57%, respectively, P = 0.01) and clinical pregnant rate (50.43% versus 44.14%, respectively, P = 0.02) were observed in P6-protocol than those of P7-protocol. First-trimester abortion rates (18.13% versus 20.71%, P = 0.40) and ectopic pregnancy rates (2.27% versus 1.94%, P = 0.77) were similar between P6- and P7-groups. Preterm birth rate, low birth weight rate, newborn sex proportion, neonatal malformation rate were comparable between groups. Significantly higher LBRs were observed in patients with: age under 35, D5 blastocyst transfer, high-quality blastocyst transfer, and undergoing HRT cycles combined P6-protocol.ConclusionFrozen-thawed blastocyst transfer on the sixth day of progesterone administration in first HRT cycle is related to higher live birth rate compared with transfer on the seventh day, especially among patients aged under 35, D5 blastocyst and/or high-quality blastocyst transfer.

Download Full-text