What are in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer?

Fertil Steril. 2008 Apr;89(4):832-9.

Objectives:

To examine the relationship between endometrial thickness and outcome of medicated frozen-thawed embryo replacement (FER) cycles.

Design:

A retrospective observational study.

Setting:

Assisted conception unit at a university hospital.

Patients:

All patients who underwent an FER cycle between 1997 and April 2006 and met the inclusion criteria.

Interventions:

For endometrial preparation, a daily dose of 6 mg of oral E(2) valerate was started on menstrual day 1, and P pessaries (800 mg daily) were administrated when the endometrial thickness had reached 7 mm or more, with ET taking place 2-3 days later. The FER cycles were categorized according to endometrial thickness measurement on the day of P supplementation.

Main Outcome Measures:

Implantation, clinical pregnancy, ongoing pregnancy, and live birth rates.

Results:

In all, 768 consecutive medicated FER cycles were analyzed. The lowest pregnancy rates were associated with endometrial thickness <7 mm (n = 13) and >14 mm (n = 12; 7% in both groups). Significantly higher implantation (19% vs. 12%), clinical pregnancy (30% vs. 18%), ongoing pregnancy (27% vs. 16%), and live birth (25% vs. 14%) rates were achieved in cycles where endometrial thickness was 9-14 mm (n = 386), compared with those in which endometrial thickness was 7-8 mm (n = 357). These differences remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.83 [confidence interval {CI} = 1.3-2.6] for clinical pregnancy, 1.8 [CI = 1.2-2.6] for ongoing pregnancy and 1.9 [CI = 1.3-2.8] for live birth).

Conclusions:

In medicated FER cycles, an endometrial thickness of 9-14 mm measured on the day of P supplementation is associated with higher implantation and pregnancy rates compared with an endometrial thickness of 7-8 mm.

Please click on the required question..

• 1 What are the objectives of infertility treatment?
• 2 Why have I been advised to take folic acid as part of my infertility treatment?
• 3  Although my ovaries have eggs in them, my tests show that I am not releasing them (anovulation) and this is causing infertility. How can this be treated?
• 4 If I take drugs to induce ovulation (ovulation induction) for my infertility, are there any risks?
• 5 How is ovulation induction treatment for infertility monitored?
• 6 How does clomiphene citrate work for infertility?
• 7  How effective is clomiphene in the treatment of infertility?
• 8 Could I experience any problems whilst taking clomiphene?
• 9 Is there any advantage in having an injection of HCG to ensure ovulation?
• 10 How does tamoxifen work?
• 11 How can hyperprolactinaemia be treated?
• 12 How does metformin work?
• 12A How does letrozole work for infertility?
• 13 How do gonadotrophins work?
• 14 What are the risks for me if I receive gonadotrophin therapy?
• 15 What are recombinant gonadotrophins?
• 16  What is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
• 17 How is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome treated?
• 18 How does electrocautery (ovarian drilling) work for infertility associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• 19 I have been found to have endometriosis. How should this be treated to improve my chance of conceiving?
• 20 Tests have shown that I have problems with my Fallopian tubes. What can be done about this?
• 21 I have fibroids. How should these be treated to improve my fertility?
• 22 My post-coital test has shown that my mucus is stopping the sperm from swimming (mucus hostility). What can be done?
• 22a How can male infertility be treated?
• 23 When can intrauterine insemination (IUI) improve our chance of achieving a pregnancy?
• 24 What is in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET)
• 24A IVF single or double embryo transfer?
• 25 What is intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
• 26 How do tubal surgery and IVF compare?
• 27 What are egg donation and egg sharing?
• 28 What is selective embryo transfer?
• 29 Investigations have shown no obvious cause for our difficulty achieving a pregnancy. Are there any treatments for our unexplained infertility?
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• 32 How can we determine which fertility unit is likely to be the best for us?
• 33 Where can I obtain more information?
• 34 Infertility Support Groups.
  
  
  

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